To the Future
by mew-tsubaki
Summary: For everything you take, you must give something. To regain Sirius, the quad had to give up something-but what? And why is Ginny so angry with Sirius? Romance, anyone? ch38: A visit and the convincing-perhaps-of Ginny. Nearing the end, but REVIEW!
1. 1st Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

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The First Telling

"Ginny? Ginny, dear!"

"Ugh…" The redhead rolled over and looked up at the ceiling of her bedroom with her ocean blue eyes. "Coming, Mum!!"

Ginny threw her legs over the side of her bed and yanked the covers away from her. She looked in her trunk and pulled out a stretchy pair of black pants with flared legs. Ginny then pulled a peasant top with 3/4 bell sleeves over her head and kicked around for her clogs. It was only when she was trudging down the stairs the next minute when she was awake enough to realize that things weren't going to be quiet this morning.

"Good morning, Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley said, keeping her eyes on the kettle and various pans on the stove. "Sit down, eat, and then we'll go."

Her daughter had just sat down when she heard the last part. "I'm sorry… We're…going somewhere?"

"Yes, yes. Of course! It's that time of year once again. But no more questions, or we'll miss the departure."

Now Ginny knew where this was going. She could feel her blood boiling in her veins. "No. I'm not going back. I told you already that it would be pointless." She pushed back her chair and stood. "I came of age last year and now I'm eighteen. I'd also look like a complete dork, being the oldest kid in school."

Mrs. Weasley stopped what she was doing. "You are going back to finish school, Ginny. I will not have my only daughter be a drop-out bum with no qualifications for a job. Now get your things ready to go."

"I _won't_!!" Ginny moved out around from behind the table and marched toward the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Weasley shrilly hollered at her.

"To get a breath of fresh air!"

"Oh, no you don't! _Petrificus Totalus_!!"

Ginny turned around just in time to deflect her mother's magic. "Resorting to spells, Mum? I would think you'd know better than to try anything on me, what with Harry being my teacher."

The taunt didn't do anything but provoke Mrs. Weasley further. "And I suppose you think some man will marry you like this, accepting immaturity and all?"

"'Immaturity'? _'Immaturity'?!_ I'm not going to act as a brood mare for the family!!"

Mrs. Weasley heaved a sigh, her hands resting on her hips. "I'm not asking you to be a brood mare. I just want to see _one_ of my children live their life to the fullest."

"The twins are fine! Fred has Verity and George has Angelina –don't count them out yet. And don't forget that Charlie's still alive. They've done as they pleased and so did the others, so let me do as _I_ want."

"No." Mrs. Weasley locked eyes with Ginny; her face drained of all color. "Things have changed, Ginevra, since then. With the twins doing as they please, Charlie missing, and Bill, Percy, and Ron dead, I am going to do my damnedest to ensure your safety and happiness. You may be happy doing something else, but I _know_ that you'd be done without a future." The mother smoothed down her apron and skirt, returning to her light-hearted demeanor. "Now go upstairs and pack, dear."

Tears were gathering behind Ginny's eyes, but she knew better than to continue this any further. She hurried back up the stairs and began packing every little thing she owned. Her mother wanted her to fetch her things, right? Well, she wasn't specific, so Ginny should just pack all her belongings. She paused when a family photo slipped from her notebook. Nine pairs of eyes stared at her, but there were to be only five –or six, with Charlie –nowadays. Now the tears, though quiet, were unstoppable. Ginny could barely count how much she had lost since the Second Great War…


	2. 2nd Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

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The Second Telling

Ginny's dream was strewn throughout with scenes of the past, like she had just gone through things all over again when, in fact, it had happened a little over a year ago…

Flashback

_That was it. They had won. Harry was standing in front of Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. Once again, a battle had taken place in the Ministry, but now it had been completely demolished. What had once been the magical law enforcement body of the wizarding world was now nothing more than a leveled, debris-dusted playground. Harry took a step forward._

_Hermione squealed with excitement. "YES! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!" She threw her arms around Harry's neck and jumped up and down. "That's it!! He's gone!! You've fulfilled the prophecy, Harry!!!"_

_Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Well done, mate."_

_Finally, Ginny herself ran forward and clutched Harry's arm. "You were wonderful, Harry!"_

_But Harry was distracted. His eyes glazed over and he swiveled his head behind him. He pursed his lips. "Something's coming…"_

_Sure enough, an archway materialized and the veil solidified several yards away from the quad. "Wait," Ron scoffed, "what's it doing here? Shouldn't it be gone with everything else in the Ministry?"_

_Hermione squinted. "Th-those are…runes on the edge!!" The genius pulled away from Harry and dashed to the veil. "'For one to be, another must be given.'" She faced the others. "I think we can get Sirius back!"_

_"What?" Harry rushed to Hermione's side. "I…I would do anything to have…my last connection to the past…" He stopped and clenched his fists. "I want my godfather back!"_

_At once, a misty silhouette appeared in the veil –it was Sirius Black. He smiled and reached forward. His lips moved and it was undoubtedly forming Harry's name._

_Harry reached to touch Sirius's hand, but Hermione slapped him away. "Don't touch him! If you do, _you'll_ be caught in the veil!"_

_"What?" Harry's eyes widened. "But Sirius-"_

_Hermione shook her head in frustration, the short locks of hair flapping in her face; a stray spell had singed the rest of her bushy hair right off. "The runic message expresses an equivalent exchange. A live body for a live body. If you sacrifice yourself for Sirius, it would be-" She stopped short._

_"Well, it was pointless for him to die protecting me, Hermione," Harry snarled back, fully aware of what she had not said. Again, he went for Sirius, but Ron shoved him back._

_"What's pointless is for the two of you to keep missing each other," Ron said with a half smile. He held his hand out and grasped Sirius's sleeve, pulling Harry's godfather through the veil._

_"No, Ron!!!" Ginny had screamed at the top of her lungs. Even so, she could see Ron's determination remain resolute._

_Ron didn't look back. "Harry, take care of Hermione. Ginny, tell Mum and the others I'm sorry." Finally, he glanced one last look at Hermione. "'Mione…I love you." Then he was gone._

_Hermione's screams wouldn't stop as the veil crumbled and disappeared. Harry held Hermione in his arms as the two sank to their knees. Sirius moved at Ginny's feet and snapped out of his zombie-like daze to assess the situation. As Ginny's mind processed the information for a third go-around, Hermione's shrill sobs pierced her thoughts…_

End flashback

Ginny awoke with a jolt, suddenly realizing what had been Hermione's screams in the memory were now her own. With a flick of her wand, Ginny summoned a glass of warm milk, but then thought better. Did she really want to relive that in her sleep again?

There was a knock at her door. "Ginny?" her father called. "Are you all right?"

Th redhead glanced at her window, catching a glimpse of the setting blood red sun. "Um, yeah… I'm just fine."

"Why don't you come downstairs for supper, sweetheart? You don't have to stay for the whole meal –just eat some mashers if you want. Oh, and we have guests, too!" Ginny could hear her father bustling about as he made his way downstairs and joined the others. She already resented the company below, since _he_ was most likely to be there: the man she now hated the most in the world…

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"Hi, Ginny!" Tonks leapt forward and enveloped her in a huge hug. She backed away and brushed back the hair in Ginny's face. "You okay? We heard you screaming up there like you were being attacked by a boggart."

"'We'?" Ginny repeated, crimsoning. "Everyone heard?"

Tonks didn't have a chance to comment as Verity and Angelina pushed through to greet her, so Tonks finished with just a change in her hair color back to her gloomy, mousy brown.

Unfortunately, and not entirely on purpose, Ginny tuned Verity and Angelina out, scanning the room for the bit of food that would allow her to return to her room after she ate it. And there it was, flying out of the kitchen: mashers and biscuits followed by butter and meat. "Sorry! A bit hungry," Ginny stated to the women, and she squeezed in between them –only to bump into a familiar, washed-out Lupin.

"Did Tonks tell you the news?" he asked Ginny.

Ginny forced a smile. "She didn't have a chance to-"

"What Remus meant to ask," Tonks cut in, reappearing beside her husband, "was 'Did Tonks tell you the _good_ news'?"

"What? His 'furry little problem's' gone?"

Remus smiled. "Uh –not exactly-"

"I'm pregnant!!" the metamorphagus excitedly exclaimed. "Oh, I do hope the baby has your eyes, dear…"

Ginny lifted an eyebrow and caught Remus' eye; he pulled her aside for a second. "I'd thought you might appreciate a heads-up: He's here." His eyes mimicked the frown on his lips. "Be kind, though, Ginny. He's not an evil man."

Ginny frowned herself. "I wish you people would stop treating me like I'm the bad one here. You know damn well that I don't want to see his face."

"If Molly and Arthur can stand him and even manage to show him some kindness, I think you would be an even better person for forgiving him, as well."

"What's there to forgive?" Sullen now, the redhead picked up a biscuit, but found she had lost her appetite. Ginny turned on her heel to head back upstairs. _What am I doing here?_ she thought, standing still and looking at the others. _There's no way things can be what they once were…_ A soft hand on her shoulder made her jump and look over her shoulder. She fought the urge to scowl.

"Hello there, Ginny," Sirius said.

Reluctantly, she met her eyes with his. He was probably going to comment about her being all right, just like the others… Jeez, you scream once and everyone's freaking out. She rolled her eyes under her closed eyelids, licked her lips, and tried to smile. "Hey, Sirius."

He sipped his mug of coffee. "Molly tells me you're going back to Hogwarts."

"Oh! Um, yeah…" Ginny –again –frowned. He may have brought up a new subject, but it was one Ginny wanted to discuss even less. "To tell you the truth, I don't want to go back. Kind of dumb. But Mum's been a little bonkers since you-know-when…" She squinted and brushed the hair off her shoulder. "But there's nothing for me anywhere anymore, so I might as well get out of here while I can…"

Sirius half-smiled. "Don't say that. There's always something to do with one's life. Maybe you'll figure that out at Hogwarts."

"As long as I'm not incarcerated at St. Mungo's first for trying to kill Snape." She and Sirius laughed. "Did you know Mum already set up my schedule? I only know about half of it, but I've got Potions once again with that delightful whimpering self-absorbed bat."

"You forgot 'greasy'," Sirius added.

They laughed again. _Damn it, Ginny! Get a hold of yourself! You shouldn't be laughing with him, but plotting his death! He took Ron away!_ Ginny pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. One foul thought could reveal her mood and ruin things for everyone else. "So…how have you been?" she asked. _Like I really want to know…!_

"A bit busy myself. I've been-" But Sirius was cut off as Mrs. Weasley came out of the kitchen carrying other appetizers and such, ushering everyone to the table and giving Sirius no opportunity to finish his sentence –not that Ginny cared much, of course. As everyone sat down and dug in, Ginny played with her food, giving people short nods and the like in reply. She looked at the others' cheery expressions. _Is it just me or has everyone become a bit po-faced lately…?_

Dinner dragged on and finally Ginny was dismissed. Mrs. Weasley started going on about her daughter going back to Hogwarts as Ginny disappeared upstairs; she slammed the door shut and looked around the room. "Just a little bit more to go," she muttered to herself.

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Hope you're liking the story! Sorry if it's dragging in places; it'll really pick up in the next chapter!

Has anyone else finished the DH? I hated the ending! How could Lupin, Tonks, Fred, and Mad-eye have died? And why was Sirius suddenly ACTUALLY DEAD?!!! Why did George lose an ear? That last one's really puzzling.

PLEASE REVIEW!!! I don't care if you hate it, love it, or just like the title/pairing/whatever –PLEASE REVIEW!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki


	3. 3rd Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

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The Third Telling

Early the next morning, Mrs. Weasley was practically dragging Ginny out of her bed. "Come on now! Get changed into your school robes!!"

_Crap,_ Ginny thought. She slowly opened her eyes and peeked out from under the covers. _Damn! It _is_ morning!_

"What did you pack?" her mother chirped. "It's so stark in here and your luggage was so heavy. It's not like you're taking everything you own, darling."

She clucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. "Just thought I'd clean up a bit, Mum."

"Yes, well…" Mrs. Weasley finished scrutinizing the décor. "Anyway, we've borrowed a car from the Ministry, seeing as how we can't seem to get that Invisibility Charm on it fixed. Get changed –now." With a stern tone to the last word, Mrs. Weasley rushed down the stairs. "Coming, Arthur!!" she hollered.

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_SMACK._

_Merlin's beard. Merlin's. Beard. MERLIN'S! BEARD!_ Ginny fought the urge to scrub her cheek right then and there as her mother pulled back from giving her the sloppiest, wettest kiss ever. After a quick hug, Mrs. Weasley held Ginny at arm's length. "Have a wonderful term, dear!" she stated.

"No trouble this year, all right?" her father piped, raising his eyebrows and pointing a finger at her.

"I'll manage," Ginny replied through gritted teeth. She hugged her father and they stepped back into the car. She watched until it lifted up in the sky and faded into the scenery. Turning, she set a pace up to the school. "Sorry, Neville. They can be way too mushy at times like this."

The man (mt: if one can call him that) nodded knowingly. "I have to admit, though, it's good to see a familiar face back here. Other than Professor Snape's."

"That's right. I'll have to be nice to him again, won't I? Calling him 'professor' and such…"

"Well I'm 'professor', too, Ginny," Neville stated.

"Yes, yes…" They paused at the main doors while Neville did the regular enchantments to let them in. Once inside, Ginny felt queasy.

"Oh, by the way, Ginny, you ought to know-" Neville stopped as he McGonagall motioning him inside. "Uh, see you later, Ginny!"

Now on her own, Ginny walked into the Great Hall. Dead silence. All eyes were on her. Crimsoning, she furrowed her brow. _You'd swear they'd never seen a hero of the Second Great War before._ Straightening up, she proceeded to the Gryffindor table and took a seat –seeing as others cleared a way for her. She looked up at the staff table watching who shuffled in: Madam Pomfrey, Neville, Snape, McGonagall, Professor Trelawney (who Ginny was surprised to still see), Professor Flitwick, and Dumbledore. Ginny remembered it had been quite an event when Dumbledore had returned mysteriously from the "depths of death", but she smiled to herself as she recounted that only those of the Order knew that true story as to how he "came back".

And now Dumbledore rose and gave a small speech about some behavior of the day before (as this was Ginny's first day back, and the second for everyone else.) He sat back down as the food appeared and the meal began.

"Miss Weasley?"

Ginny looked up and met eyes with a younger boy with hair as red as hers. "Can I help you?"

The boy beamed. "It's me, Nigel! Remember? I had followed your friends around and I was a part of the D.A."

"Oh, right. Nigel." For the most part, all she could remember was Nigel following Ron and Harry around, doing things for Ron in hopes of getting Harry's autograph. "How's your summer been?"

Delighted, Nigel sat down across from Ginny, the only one willing to talk to her. While he blathered on, Ginny noticed over the rim of her cup come in more teachers; she almost spit out her pumpkin juice. Remus and Sirius sat together at the opposite end of the table from Snape, fervently talking. "What the bloody hell-?!"

Nigel followed her gaze and elaborated. "Professor Lupin and Professor Black have split up the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. Professor Lupin's got the third years and below, while Professor Black has fourth and up. Are you taking his class?"

Numbly, Ginny placed her cup back down on the table. She thought that was that; she'd only have to see his bloody face at holidays. Now Sirius was her professor?!

As breakfast died down, Dumbledore again approached the podium. "This year, many changes to staff have happened. Seeing that Professor Hagrid has retired and Professor Grubbley-Plank is now at Beauxbatons, we have hired someone else to fill the role of teacher for Care for Magical Creatures. With experience especially firsthand from the Dragon Plains, please welcome Professor Charles Weasley."

Shocked, Ginny watched as her brother –HER BROTHER –entered the Great Hall next to the staff table. There was no doubt about it; the long hair, tattoos peeking out at the top of his sleeves, and the roughness one can only achieve while living with dragons all belonged to Charlie Weasley. He sensed someone intently staring at him and his blue eyes met Ginny's identical ones. Charlie was alive.


	4. 4th Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

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The Fourth Telling

"HOLD IT, YOU FOUR!!!" Ginny had no problem with all eyes on her now. She had just exited the Great Hall and spotted Remus, Sirius, Neville, and Charlie when she had turned on her heel and hollered at them in a very Mrs. Weasley-ish way.

Further down the corridor, the four teachers froze. They listened as Ginny slowly stomped right up behind them, but no one dared even so much as twitch first.

"All of you, face me –NOW!" she fumed.

As in a military school, they all faced her at the exact same time. Their faces were respectively the same shade of off-white.

Ginny glowered at each of them in turn. "Someone better start talking," she uttered in a low voice.

"I was trying to tell you last night-" Sirius began. She held her hand up to his face.

"From anyone but you."

"I tried telling you that Remus and Sirius were here this morning, but McGonagall had only just told me about your brother, honestly!" Neville squeaked.

Remus half-smiled. "It slipped my mind to mention anything?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" She faced Charlie. "And what excuse do you have? It better be good, because we thought you might've been dead."

Charlie cleared his throat as the students went out around them to their classes. "Look, all I'll say now is that I finished recovering only a few days ago when Dumbledore contacted me. No one but he knew I was coming."

Fury boiled in her veins so badly that Ginny had to close her eyes and concentrate on not losing her head completely. "We haven't heard from you in over a year," she rasped. "Bill and Fleur had died a few feet from you. Percy died defending Ron and me while looking for you. Ron died-" Her voice caught. She couldn't finish that sentence. Not when the cause of his death was standing right next to her. "He's gone and that's that," Ginny choked.

Charlie, knowing not to say anything, reached forward to place a comforting arm around her, but she slapped his hand away.

"You know," Ginny mumbled, hiding her face beneath her veil of hair, "you look just like Bill with your hair tied back like that." She turned and ran away from the direction of the Gryffindor dormitories, vanishing at the corner at the end of the hallway.

"It's not like I'm trying to fill Bill's shoes," Charlie thought aloud, sighing and running a hand through his hair.

"Maybe you ought to owl your parents, Charlie," Remus stated. "I'll see you all later. I'll need all the energy I can get before teaching those young ones." He, too, left the corridor, but paused. "Neville, don't you have a class to teach now?"

Neville, who had been trying to stay out of the line of fire, jolted slightly and nodded. With a quick 'bye' to Charlie and Sirius, he followed Remus out of sight.

Saying nothing else, Charlie strode away in an obvious huff. Sirius was left gazing at the end of the hallway where Ginny had gone. _There's no way I'm getting any misdirected fury in _my_ class_, he thought as he went that way, as well.

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"This-girl-is-too-bloody damn-hard-to-_FIND_" Sirius panted, bending forward, his hands on his knees. He leaned on a nearby gargoyle and straightened himself up. _She's probably just in the bathroom,_ he thought. He was just leaving the premises when he heard a nostalgic sort of din. Sirius poked his head around the corner and watched as the elaborate design on the door to the Room of Requirement revealed itself. "I'll be damned… Been a while since I've seen this threshold." _I wonder if she's in here._ Sirius put a hand on the door and pushed; it gave way rather easily. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

The interior was drab if not downright dreadful. In fact, it kind of reminded Sirius of a "cheery" version of Snape. It was a big, empty room with a coffee table and two chairs in the middle, and nothing else. The wallpaper was navy blue, the coffee table was a blackened blood red, and the chairs consisted of burnished bronze backings and velvety pine green upholstery; Ginny's silhouette occupied one of the seats.

Sirius took a careful step toward her. When she didn't turn on him, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Ginny…"

Ginny picked up her head. "Oh. You." She heavily exhaled and arose. "I'm fine you know. I won't be Avada Kedavra-ing anyone this early on in the day, but I can't discount a lasting Bat Bogey Hex just yet."

The wizard wasn't sure whether he should laugh or not. Ginny didn't do anything, so he had thought it okay until he saw her eyes glistening.

"It would've been easier to deal with if he had just been dead after all," the redhead spat. "Now he's alive and suddenly everything's supposed to be nice and cozy." She had mostly been muttering to herself and wiped her eyes before smiling and walking towards Sirius and the door. "Don't you have to be somewhere?" she mentioned a little too sweetly; he could recognize the underlying venom in her voice.

Sirius ignored her prod. "You would've cried at some point either way," he stated frankly.

Immediately, the smile evaporated and was replaced with a scowl. "Don't think that for one second you're safe near me. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be one more brother short or single. You're the cause of many wrong things in my life, and I'll make it my personal duty to make your stay here hell on earth." Ginny's nostrils flared and she glared at him squarely in the eye. "Now if you excuse me, _professor_, I have class." She stepped out around him, hit his shoulder, and passed through the door.

"You're already late," he yelled after her. Frowning, he shook his sleeve and looked at his watch. "What time- BLOODY HELL!!! I'M LATE FOR MY OWN CLASS!!!"

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:) How'd you like it so far? Enough to review me?? PRETTY PLEASE??!!! I BEG OF YOU, REVIEW!!!

Ahem (Not in an Umbridge way)

Anyway, please stay tuned for chapter 5. Things are going to get interesting, I promise. It may even be a little longer considering there are classes, confrontations, bickering, an accidental French kiss…did I mention the confrontations?

BTW: The next chapter is still on the same day as this one, and carries on from there.

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki


	5. 5th Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

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The Fifth Telling

Potions was the first class Ginny had that morning. When she had retrieved her bag among her other things from her bed in the girls' dormitory and finally made it to Snape's class, he had been halfway through a lecture, half-amused, and not in the least half-hearted about subtracting twenty points from Gryffindor. After Snape was back to being self-absorbed and Ginny had stuck her tongue out at him, she looked around for an available seat, only to find one next to a Slytherin boy sitting by himself. Her stomach churned as she sat down next to him.

"And if you would all follow the directions on page thirty-four in making your own serum, you may begin. I would also hope that students of your age would be able to create something without blowing anything up, as well, for childish mistakes are obviously not tolerated in my class." Snape flicked his wand over his shoulder and the ingredients appeared before each student.

Ginny squinted at what Snape had scribbled on the blackboard, but couldn't make it out. Sighing, she opened her text and looked at the long list of directions. _You've got to be kidding me,_ she reflected, eyes wide in amazement.

The Slytherin beside her nudged her arm. "It's okay. I was here early and heard everything he said. I'll help you out," he spoke to her in undertones.

Unsure whether to trust this Slytherin or not, Ginny ignored him and went about it her own way. By the end of class, she had wished she had accepted his help, turning in a vial of sludge that more closely resembled vomit than the smoothie texture as describe by the textbook. Snape stifled a smirk. "We may have won the war, Weasley, but it doesn't change the fact that none of you could ever make a decent potion." He uncorked it, sniffed the mixture, and winced. "Well, not as half bad as what you used to turn in. Maybe you'll scrounge a passing grade this term."

Ginny walked away from the Potions master and headed to Herbology next, but the Slytherin boy was following her. "You know," he said, "he wouldn't have said anything if you hadn't shunned me."

She paused mid-step. "Do you not know what color robes you're wearing?"

The boy actually looked down. "Green and silver, last time I checked."

"So… I don't trust you snakes. There's never been a good-hearted Slytherin since the school was founded. Thank you for the offer, but no thanks." She sped up, but he kept at her heel.

"I wanted to be in Ravenclaw. But I was too scared of what my family might do if I didn't remain in the same house. That's the only reason I'm a Slytherin."

Both of them stopped in the hallway. Ginny faced him. "You're telling me that because…?"

"Because I'm the same age as you. I'm repeating my seventh year because I flunked one too many of my N.E.W.T.s. No one talks to those who stay behind." He held out his hand. "I'm Grant."

Reluctantly, she shook his hand. "Ginny."

He smiled. "I know. Ginny Weasley. You're a celebrity –amongst others –around here."

"Yeah, I've noticed. Look, I've got class-"

"I've got Herbology, too."

Ginny half-smiled. She didn't want him trailing her the whole time. "Look, Whatshisname-"

"Grant. Grant Selwyn."

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. "I'm not trusting any Selwyns or Malfoys or Whatevers right now. So you can stop hitting on me."

"Then you should stop flattering yourself." Grant just stood there, expressionless, as Ginny gaped at him. "Like I said, no one talks to a repeater. Consider it a mutual relationship: I'm your friend, you're mine, we get through the school year without graduating as lone wolves. Deal?"

Aghast, Ginny still couldn't believe that he had said that to her. Not that she was full of herself, but it wasn't that long ago when boys were falling left and right for her. But… If someone wanted to be just friends with her, then no harm could come of that, right?

The two walked to Herbology together, Grant doing all the talking. Herbology wasn't that bad. Ginny noticed that Neville was a completely different person when teaching; he wasn't the least bit scared as he caught his Flying Foundargorge and cut its leaves off. Ginny laughed at the comments she overheard from some of her female classmates who were busy adoring Professor Longbottom; if only they knew that a certain _Quibbler_ reporter had snagged him first…

After Herbology was lunch, where Nigel happily took Grant's place in talking Ginny's ear off. Ginny pretended to listen to the fifth year as she struggled through Snape's assignment. Time had seemed to fly by on Ginny's first day back at Hogwarts, with Divination and History of Magic going as smoothly as Herbology had. It had felt like half a day by the time Ginny was in bed, still working on her homework. When she was done, she changed into her nightgown and pulled out her schedule, which Mrs. Weasley had oh-so carefully tucked into a pocket inside Ginny's trunk; this was the first time she had actually seen her schedule for this year. Her eyes roved over the black ink. _Potions…Care for Magical Creatures –great, I can yell at Charlie during class –Herbology, History of Magic –I'll probably hear something about Harry and Hermione soon, since we're in the 'Modern Magic' chapter –Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination-_ She stopped reading and went back to the previous line. She still had D.A.D.A.? But…Sirius was taking on the fourth years and above! She was going to have _Sirius_ as her _teacher?!_

------------------------------ - 3

Knowing her full schedule, Ginny didn't want to get up the next morning. But the noise her roommates made while getting dressed woke her up. She changed and made her way outside, for Care for Magical Creatures was her first class.

Charlie's voice floated to Ginny as she approached the back of the class and met Grant. "…which is why you take care in dealing with them, considering that cross-breeding can make a pair of them have the nastiest offspring alive." Ginny heard her brother clap his hands. "So who wants to help me clean it to gather a few scales? Anyone?" Dead silence. "Bunch of cowards… I'll show you how it's done."

"Dragons?" Ginny asked Grant.

He nodded. "Guess so. Wasn't really paying attention. Oh, jeez…"

A collective gasp went throughout the class as Charlie tossed his robe aside and rolled up just the sleeves of his shirt. He rolled his eyes (he and Ginny were _definitely_ related) and grimaced. "These scars and tattoos are nothing compared to the other things you'd see on the Dragon Plains, people. Now watch as I gently brush Laurel's hind scales with the steel scraper. See how she's happily stretching? That means you don't have a lot of time to collect any fallen scales. The trick here is to go fast enough to collect what you can but slow enough to keep her happy." Charlie raised himself to his full height and looked at the class. "Now someone better volunteer before I volunteer one of you myself."

The students exchanged nervous glances and whispers, but no one did anything. Ginny raised her hand. "I'll do it."

Charlie avoided her eyes and scanned the rest of the class. "Maybe someone else. I'm not sure a young girl like you could handle this dragon. It's too dangerous."

Ginny reddened. "If it's too dangerous for me, then no one else is going to do it."

Her brother ignored her and pointed to Grant. "You. Slytherin. You come try it."

Grant took a step backwards. "Uh, no thanks, I'm…allergic to dragons. Yeah, that's. I –ACHOO! See? I can barely be around them –ACHOO!" Grant's fake sneezes were about as believable as Charlie's excitement that Ginny had volunteered herself.

"Ugh, idiot…," Charlie muttered. Instead he picked a round Hufflepuff who didn't cause much trouble. After harvesting some scales, Charlie lectured about how the scales are stretched, dried, and then molded for dragon skin armor. "It's about the toughest shield anyone could ever have. With this process in mind, I'll hold a few scales for each of you that way you can make your own armor next class. Homework is to come up with an elaborate crest to mark your work, but make sure the design also acts as a Charm that provides Anti-Hex, Anti-Jinx, and Anti-Curse protection. Now head on to your next class."

The seventh years bustled about and walked back toward the castle…all except Ginny (mt: saw that coming, huh?). The young witch walked straight up to her brother, discounting Grant's pushes to get her to their next class. "What is your problem?"

Charlie looked down into Ginny's face. "You're my little sister. There's no way I'd let you near a dragon, even if it's one of mi- even if she's from my part of the Plains."

"So what? Am I suddenly a child again?"

"There may have been a short period where you had to grow up in one moment, but that moment's passed. Now you're a teenager again, Gin." Charlie rolled his sleeves back down, but fiddled a second longer with the buttons. "Don't let your childhood fly by, Ginny. Once it's gone, you can never have it back," he mumbled. He turned around and cleaned up the rest of the scales.

Ginny could see that there was no point in arguing with him anymore. She grabbed her rucksack and left for Defense Against the Dark Arts without waiting for Grant. Who knew? Maybe she could accidentally blow Sirius's head up during class.

---------------------------------------- - 3

"Well, um…" Sirius fidgeted with the notes on his desk, not even glancing at his students. "When it comes to defending yourself, one thing that, uh, happens often is you'll e-end up dueling. I take it you can all duel?" He finally looked up at the class and quickly looked away again; all eyes were on him.

Sirius stood up and tried moving while talking. "So…who here thinks they can just…off and win a duel?" Nearly every hand shot up. Sirius relaxed a little. "And I take it you could just point your wand, say or think a spell, and claim victory?" No one answered him this time. "I didn't think so. You see, there's a lot more to dueling than meets the eye. You can't just simply stand there with your wand and hope the spell you have on your side is more powerful than your opponent's. Posture is something many forget when dueling." The wizard brandished his wand and performed some quick footwork, sometimes moving faster than the class could see. He stopped with his feet together. "Besides keeping yourself upright, it is key to plan your footing that way you can advance. Just a slight twitch of the toe forward could mean the downfall of your opponent. One inch backwards could be all the time your rival needs to knock you out.

"Dueling with wands uses the same principles as with dueling with a sword. The only difference here is the magic. But with flowing movements, fancy footwork, and decent timing, you could all be dueling masters be the end of this year."

"By the end of this year?" someone piped up.

"Yes, by the end of this year," Sirius repeated. "It can take many years for someone to master a sword, but it won't take that long for me to teach you how to master your wands. Along with a few new incantations and more practice at non-verbal spells, it'll make for a very interesting course. You won't be disappointed."

With a graceful wave of his wand, Sirius cleared some room and had the class stand up. "Today, we'll practice thrusts and staying upright. Only minor to medium spells are allowed. Now find some room to practice moving. Once you feel confident enough, grab a partner and try your wand at a duel."

Ginny moved to the back of the room and put one leg forward, bending her knee slightly to help keep her feet locked in place as she tried a downward diagonal thrust. When she didn't fall, she turned around and drew her arm down in an arch, almost poking Sirius in the eye. Surprised, she fell to the floor. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, owww…"

Sirius helped her up. "You okay? You seemed to be putting a little bit of heat into your form."

Conscious of his hand on her shoulder, she brushed it off. "I'm just practicing like you told us to."

"Just don't use your Bat Bogey Hex on anyone, okay? I heard about the last person on the receiving end of one…yikes." He shook his head and scanned the others, making sure no one was dying –yet.

Despite herself, Ginny laughed. Her Hexes _had_ been hellish… She took another step forward and drew a zigzag in the air with her wand. Memories of her past mischief came floating to the surface. Ginny backed up a bit and locked her elbow, the tip of her wand pointing straight forward. With a _clack_, her wand fell to the floor. The other students didn't seem to notice as they were too busy dodging misspoken spells, but Sirius looked at her.

"Ginny?" he said.

"Sirius…do you –do you think I'm still a child?" she silently inquired.

The professor looked puzzled. "Eighteen's hardly a child, especially with your experiences."

Ginny didn't look at him, though, but instead she gazed at her wand. "Am I a child?"

Sirius was left with no time to answer, as class ended and rucksacks were being packed and robes were being tucked into them. He watched as his students left and was about to answer Ginny when he realized she had gone, as well. He half-smiled to himself. "I don't think you are."

--------------------------------------- - 3

By now a week had passed and Ginny was getting accustomed to her classes by the end of the second. All of her classes save for History of Magic presented a challenge for her, but it was a welcome one. By concentrating on her work, Ginny found it easier to not be disturbed by other things such as Charlie's latest rant or the whereabouts of Sirius and his hands (not that he hand done anything inappropriate, though.) Her absorption in her work proved well enough with good grades in all of her subjects, even –to Snape's dismay –Potions. But Ginny only saw one outcome of her hard work: It drove away emotion. As Ginny saw it, she had done enough crying over things large and small already and she had all but decided not to feel anything anymore. She wouldn't yell or scream at Charlie for his over-protectiveness. She wouldn't cry at the mention of any of her other brothers' deaths. She had even started doing a good job about not thinking only where Sirius was during Defense Against the Dark Arts. But even she wondered how much more she could take before her perfect world came crashing down.

And it did.

------------------------------------------ - 3

It was about a month into the school year when Ginny's zombie state cracked. It was the weekend, during breakfast, when the mail flew in. Pig, as usual, crash-landed into the cup of fruit in between Nigel and Ginny with two pieces of mail, both addressed to her.

"It looks really fancy," Nigel commented.

"Yeah, it does," Ginny agreed. She opened the one from her mother first and was confused:

_Dear Ginny,_

_Dad sends hugs and kisses, dear. Just hurry up and open the other letter, providing Pigwidgeon made it with both notes to you. We can't wait to see you at Christmas soon. Fred, George, Verity, and Angelina also send their love._

_Love, Mum_

_P.S. I know that Charlie's there. I've already sent him some howlers about it._

Hastening to open the other letter, Ginny's mind, heart, and lungs nearly stopped working.

_Dear Ginny,_

_How are you? Oh, I'm so excited! Guess what? Harry proposed! We're going to get married!!! I can't wait! Enclosed is a formal invitation for you. I hope you come! Maybe you'd even consider being my bridesmaid?_

_Hope you'll write soon!_

_Yours truly, Hermione_

Ginny glanced at the wedding invite and felt the need to vomit. Once upon a time, she would have been glad to be at Hermione's wedding; they had been like sisters. But that was when Hermione's wedding plans involved Ron, not Harry. _Ginny_ was the one who had been in love with Harry. Thinking back on it now, the redhead vaguely remembered how they had gotten together in the first place. It had been especially cruel considering Harry had never officially broken up with her.

"You know, Nigel, why don't you eat my fruit cup for me?" she managed. Ginny didn't wait for any type of answer, but grabbed her things and headed toward the Gryffindor dormitories. _Hurry up, you stupid stairs!_ she willed the staircase to go, but they didn't connect to the right way. Defeated, Ginny fell to her knees and sobbed. The entire stairwell was empty and allowed her to wallow in her sorrows for the first time in weeks. Once she felt she had cried herself dry, she began to stand. Unfortunately, poor, poor Sirius happened to be coming down the stairs leading straight to her. She snapped her head in his direction.

The fear in his face was obvious. "Um…hi?"

Ginny walked forward until she was right before him. "_You…!_" But it was all she could mutter, for she found herself crying again. She slumped down to her knees, Sirius holding her by the elbows. "Let me go…," she moaned.

"No, you can't be by yourself while you're in this state." He tried to get her to look at him. "Tell me what's wrong, but calm down first."

"Go to hell!! You're the reason everything's fucked up!!" she screamed at him. "You took Ron, you've taken my sanity, and you've taken my dignity away! Why can't I just cry in peace for one split-second?!" She tried hitting him, but it was kinda difficult with him holding her arms. "Let me _go!!!_"

"I won't, you crazy woman! Ron's not my fault; he acted of his own accord! You're still sane –or would be if you weren't trying to kill me right now!! And-"

Ginny shook her head. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!! You bastard!!!" She flailed again and finally connected with his jaw. Seeing that she had actually hit him shocked her, and her lips started to quiver. "I- I didn't really mean to-" But then she changed her attitude. "…well, maybe you deserved it. This-" She was cut off. By what, you may ask? Oh, just a nice juicy kiss from my fav character Sirius.

He let her breathe and looked her right in the eye. "Done yet?"

Her brow furrowed. "H-How _could_ you?! Now do you see how you cause things around you to change so dramatically-"

Sirius shut her up again with another kiss and, when she tried to bite him, he stuck his tongue in her mouth. Finally, she slackened in his grip. "You can walk away with your dignity if you handle these things like a woman and stop raging like a spoiled brat," he whispered to her. "I know you're not a child. Don't you want to prove that to everyone else?"

Ginny nodded, hiding her face in her hair again.

"Oh, don't do that!" Sirius pushed back her hair for her, but she wouldn't look him in the face; she was too embarrassed. He sighed without betraying the chuckle caught in his throat and stood, holding out a hand for her. "Don't tell me you've become a mute."

"I'm not a mute!" she shouted at him. She blushed again.

"So you'll handle this like the true Ginny would?"

"Maybe." She gave him a scrutinizing look. "So long as you keep your hands to yourself."

Sirius smiled. "Hands tied behind my back at all times."

Ginny raised an eyebrow and continued past him as the stairs finally led the way to the Gryffindor Tower. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Sirius was still there, and he was, waiting for her to safely pass through the portrait hole. She climbed through and checked to see if anyone else was in the Common Room; no one was. She went over to the couch in front of the hearth and plopped down, red and flabbergasted. "Damn, he's a good kisser!!!" she noted to herself.

------------------------------------ - 3

YAY! I LOVED THIS CHAPTER!! IT WAS SOO WORTH STAYING UP TIL 3:30 IN THE MORNING WRITING IT!!! WHOO-HOO!!!

And if no one reviews this, that's cruel. _"Poor Sirius. No one else thinks he's a good kisser but Ginny…"_

PLEASE REVIEW!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki


	6. 6th Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

-------------------------------- - 3

The Sixth Telling

Both D.A.D.A. and Care for Magical Creatures were awkward for Ginny now. Come on. The girl Frenched her D.A.D.A. professor and was hiding it from her brother the Creatures professor. If you don't see the situation there, something's wrong.

For the most part, though, Sirius seemed unfazed by his actions from several mornings ago. He was actually teaching the class and had easily gotten over his…'shyness' at having to teach. He wouldn't move on until every last pupil had mastered their moves, even. Unfortunately, that also was becoming a setback.

Sirius was shaking his head for the umpteenth time that class. "No, no, no! You've got it all wrong! You need to put feeling into your stances, along with your whole self," he was telling the two Ravenclaw girls, one Hufflepuff boy, and a Gryffindor boy, the only ones who still had yet to control their thrusts.

"The only feeling I'll put into this class is disdain," the dark-haired Ravenclaw commented to her friend.

Sirius didn't miss a beat. "Five points from Ravenclaw for your lack of a work ethic and cheek." Turning from the two girls, he helped the two boys who were suddenly _really_ into it.

Several more minutes of helping this quad and Sirius deigned everyone ready to begin the next few stances. "We'll start on your arm positioning and fingering next. It's easy to lose your grip on your wand while moving about, but you'll learn how to shoot a spell even if your holding your wand by your nails." He dangled he wand as so, flicked it over his shoulder, and shot a violet beam of light out of the end of his wand; the class actually admired it. "Up you go, like usual."

Grant nudged Ginny. "You know, I'm actually getting the hang of this," he said. "Maybe I'll get this N.E.W.T. this year."

"I thought you said you wanted to be in Ravenclaw," Ginny pointed out with a smirk.

"Yes –well –I _am_ smart, just a tad, uh…" Grant looked away, the red creeping into his face.

"Lazy?" Ginny offered.

"Maybe." Grant dangled his ebony wand between the tips of his index and middle fingers and dropped it. "Damn it!" he mumbled; Ginny laughed at him. "It's still difficult to shoot out a spell when you're just barely holding your wand, you brat. Watch it or I'm going to Hex you."

The redhead snickered again and felt a presence behind her. "Charlie mentioned he was an idiot," Sirius mumbled into her ear. She very nearly jumped.

"I thought I told you to keep your hands behind your back, Siri –_Professor Black_." She had emphasized the last two words when Grant eyed the two of them suspiciously.

"You may want to keep your voice down a little," Sirius whispered. "And my hands _are_ behind my back, see?" Indeed, he had his hands clasped in the small of his back. He looked at Ginny's wand-hand and grimaced. "Fix your posture," Sirius said, turning away from her to monitor the rest of the class but still rearranging the positioning of her fingers at the same time.

"Hands to yourself!" Ginny uttered from the corner of her mouth. Neither looked sideways to meet the other's eyes.

"Not the conditions," Sirius stated silently, with a smirk. "I said I'd keep my hands behind my back and they _are_ still there."

Now Ginny _did_ glance sideways and saw the loophole: his hands were still behind him as long as he was facing away from her. Blushing, she glared at him. "You sneaky, conniving little-"

"Genius? Yes, I know." Sirius pulled away from her and she almost dropped her wand. "Now don't let go. Do something with your wand," he instructed.

Ginny couldn't help but smile as she turned on him. "_Silencio!_"

Caught off guard, Sirius stumbled back a few feet due to the force of her Charm. He raised an eyebrow at her as he undid her spell. "Very funny, you twit," Sirius muttered after he was free.

She dropped her voice to a barely audible tone. "But I'm not _your_ twit," she countered in a singsong way.

Class ended and Sirius followed Ginny and Grant to the door of his classroom. He yanked on Ginny's hair and she gave him a look. "Just you wait," he said. And then he shut the door in their faces.

Grant looked at Ginny. "What was _that_ about? Hello? You in there? …Ginny?"

But she was lost in her thoughts. Maybe those kisses hadn't been just to shut her up. Maybe it wasn't anger running down her spine when his hand touched hers or was on her shoulder. Maybe he wasn't just teasing her with his comments.

Maybe he liked her. Maybe she liked him. No, there wasn't really any doubt about him. Snuffles had been sniffing around and was interested. Now he was howling for a response.

But would she howl back? And should she?

------------------------------- - 3

I guess this was kinda short, but it needed to be for the emphasis. DAMN, I love Sirius. He's so bloody cool (and sexy…) :)

REVIEW AS ALWAYS!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki


	7. 7th Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

-------------------------------- - 3

The Seventh Telling

"Assuming you did your homework," Snape droned on, "every one of you should be able to tell me the ingredients for Hecate's Draught." His onyx eyes roved over the classroom. "No one can tell me?" he asked with a small smile in his voice. "Such a shame… I guess a few extra assignments for everyone wouldn't be that bad –unless someone cares to tell me the ingredients for Hecate's Draught."

A hand shot up in the back of the room.

Snape sighed as the usual grimace returned to his face. "Weasley?"

"Hecate's Draught consists of the whole of an acacia plant, three sage leaves, a sprig of cinnamon, two tablespoons of Jorble venom, a boiled pint of wolf's bane, and five rose petals," Ginny rattled off.

Eyes slightly wider than usual, Snape sneered. "Forget something?"

The redheaded witch thought for a second. "Oh! One must also add a crushed up thyme bulb."

Now Snape did reveal the glint of a smile. Several Slytherins snickered. "That and also 'no cheating'. Get out of my classroom, Miss Weasley."

"What? But I wasn't cheat-" Ginny stammered.

"_Get out!!_"

Ginny glared at Snape, who promptly turned his back on her. Angry, she shoved her books into her rucksack and bumped Grant awake in the process. He drowsily rubbed his eyes and watched her stand up. "Did I miss something?"

"Yeah. Apparently he doesn't like people studying their textbooks."

----------------------------------- - 3

Ginny yawned as she walked into McGonagall's office. Since her revelation three days ago about Sirius liking her, she had been doing her best to stay on top of things. It's not like she could be just making it along, have near-perfect grades for a month, and then suddenly be distracted again; someone would notice the change. "Professor?" Ginny called.

McGonagall entered from a side door. "Miss Weasley, it is horrible to be accused of cheating." The witch sat down at her desk and asked point-blank: "Were you or were you not cheating?"

"I haven't been cheating. Honest."

The professor shook her head. "Professor Snape says you've been odd for nearly two months now."

"Remember the last time someone listened to Snape?" McGonagall's stern look made Ginny turn pink. "Sorry."

"Well, 'sorry' isn't going to cut it for him. He's checked with your other professors and noted your grades have been better than average in their classes, as well," McGonagall stated.

Ginny kept herself from saying a few 'noted' words about Snape. "Did he stop to consider that I've actually been reading my school books and have even read a few extra chapters to stay with my decent grades?"

McGonagall snorted. "When has he looked for any logical reason for situations like these concerning Gryffindors?" Ginny wasn't sure whether she should laugh or not, but McGonagall didn't give her time to decide. "That's not the point, though. Do I have your word on your innocence, Miss Weasley?"

"Yes."

"Good." McGonagall rifled through a few papers on her desk. "Why is it that you've been so studious, Ginny?"

Ginny noted McGonagall's use of her first name and knew this wasn't business anymore, just worry. "I don't know… I guess I'm just bored." She watched as the older witch stifled a laugh.

"You're not on the Quidditch team this year. Why is that?"

Images of Harry floated to the surface of Ginny's mind, but she pushed them aside. "Lack of interest."

"Well, get re-interested, because we could use your talent in the upcoming match against Hufflepuff. We only just managed to beat Ravenclaw two weeks ago, and I'm not too sure about next week's match. It may be Hufflepuff and Neville may know squat about Quidditch, but his team is really formidable this year." McGonagall met Ginny's eyes. "You should consider coming back to the team for any position, Ginny. It's rare for anyone to be able to play all the positions for a Quidditch team and it'd be nice to have a veteran mentor the others."

Ginny half-heartedly smiled. "I'll think about it, professor."

"You know, you'd make a superb captain…"

"I'll be on the team if that's what I decide, but that's all you're getting, professor. Have a good day." Ginny shook her head as she exited the room, although she was pretty sure she heard McGonagall mumble "Damn! So close!" to herself before the door was full closed.

Ginny made her way to the Room of Requirement during the next period for her break. _That was close,_ she thought as she tossed her bag onto one on the velvet green chairs. _She would've asked about my change in one or two more questions. It's not like I could say that Harry and Hermione getting married is one of the major things pissing me off. Everyone would just right it off as me being a whiny ex. Like _hell_ I'd mention anything about Sirius. Ugh…_ Ginny slumped in the chair and felt her eyelids begin to droop. Soon she was asleep and dreaming…

Dream sequence (mt: you _had_ to know I was gonna write this; it's too funny to pass up :) )

_The Burrow hazily appeared before Ginny and she was immersed in her anger. Before her was Hermione, waving her ring around for Mrs. Weasley, Verity, Angelina, and Tonks to see. Ginny seethed as she took slow steps toward the brainiac and stopped right in front of Hermione. Hermione shoved the ring in her face. "Isn't it beautiful, Ginny? I hope you will be my made of honor."_

_Ginny felt many nasty retorts push forward to be voiced. She opened her mouth and –"The ruby really suits you, Hermione. Uh, would you excuse me for a sec?" The redhead stepped outside and walked a few yards away from the door before she exploded and fired a Smoldering spell at a nearby baby willow tree that reminded her of Hermione's hair, its lengthy branches turning golden in the morning. Ginny turned on the spot and found herself looking at the door to Twelve Grimmauld Place. She didn't knock, but charged in instead, halting only in the kitchen when she saw Kreacher, seemingly suddenly aware of her location. "Sorry, Kreacher," she said._

_The house-elf ignored her and disappeared upstairs, leaving her alone once again._

_Seeing as Sirius had not shown himself, Ginny deduced that she was the only other person in the house besides Kreacher. She sat down in the sitting room and picked up _That Night in Darkness_ by Mathy Marshall. Hours passed as she read, although she didn't retain any of it, and it was pitch black outside when someone finally shut the front door, a sign they were home. Yet Ginny remained where she was._

_Sirius entered the room noisily and jolted at the sight of his unexpected guest. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the Burrow? The wedding's in six days!"_

_The lump in her throat passed. "I get angry at them, but my body won't let me show my true feelings."_

_"I think it's your conscience kicking in, letting you know you don't hate them as much as you think you do." Sirius shook his jacket off and draped it on the back of her chair. He sat on the coffee table in front of her. "Why are you really here, Ginny?"_

_"I can't-" She wrung her skirt in her hands, wrinkling it, but didn't let go. "I can't seem to get my feelings out. It seems that my little vacation away from my emotions kind of dried them up, but they're still there. I just can't force them out of me." She looked away from him. "When I'm around you… I feel complete. I can be me." Red, Ginny faced him again. "You love me," she stated._

_Sirius nervously scoffed. "More than you'd ever know –or ever like to."_

_Ginny leaned forward. "Then show me, because I _do_ want to know. Every bit of me wants to know."_

_In the blink of an eye, Sirius's hands cupped Ginny's face, his mouth over hers. She placed her hands lightly on his forearms, in hopes that he would never let go. He kissed her many times and he placed his hand on her waist, drawing her close to him. His lips danced down her jaw line and neck, and played at her exposed collarbone; she half moaned, half giggled._

_She hugged him closer to her, twirling a strand of his hair on her finger while his fingertips skittered across her bare back underneath her blouse. Ginny kissed him again and leaned her head against his shoulder as she felt him squeeze her breast. Could he feel her heart pounding?_

_Sirius's gray eyes held hers and she was lost in them. She unbuttoned his shirt and he unhooked her bra. His rough yet gentle hand caressed her leg and upper thigh as he lifted her up and-_

End dream

"_WHAT THE HELL_?!!!"

Ginny fell out of her chair, beet red from head to toe. _That _was NOT _something I would've dreamed!_ she thought. _Why would I screw him? What the bloody-?!_ And then it hit her.

She stormed out of the Room of Requirement, down the stairs, and barged into Sirius's classroom, which was –luckily –absent of students. But not of Sirius.

Ginny sped between the desks and stood there, looking at Sirius from across his desk. "May I help you?"

"Help me?! _Help me_?!" Ginny shrieked. "You've put a spell on me to-"

"I haven't put a spell on you."

"-get me to dream of lewd situations with you in-" Ginny paused. What had he said?

All the color drained from her face and then returned in the deepest shade of crimson ever to have graced her face. Without saying anything more, Ginny dashed from his classroom back up to the Room of Requirement, grabbed her things, and made her way up to her bed in the dormitories. When she had calmed down enough, she got up and looked out the window nearest her bed. Charlie was leading his class out to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and Neville was taking his students into the greenhouses. Ginny sighed; how could everyone else be so calm and relaxed with their lives while she was freaking out? Although, …why freak out? The equation was balanced now, the same thing done to both sides:

Sirius had fallen for her.

And she had fallen for Sirius.

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Touching, touching…with a wet dream squashed in there, as well. Hope you guys enjoyed that. smiles Anyways… I apologize if anyone thinks things have moved too fast or too slow, but I do mention the passing time and things can't just stop for two people to fall in love. Besides, don't you appreciate how long it took for Ginny to…"sort out" her feelings:)

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! I BEG FOR REVIEWS!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki


	8. 8th Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

-------------------------------- - 3

The Eighth Telling

"You have a boyfriend, don't you? I can smell it on you," Charlie stated to Ginny during Care for Magical Creatures. Everyone was busy putting the final touches on their dragon armor and too busy to notice their surroundings.

"'Course she doesn't," Grant interjected. "I would know."

"Get back to work!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and continued to ignore Charlie. Couldn't he see she was busy working on the swirls in her protection Charm?

Charlie turned to Ginny again. "Well, if you don't have a boyfriend, then you're at least gaga over someone." Her face grew hot and red and Charlie smirked. "So I'm right. It's not him, is it?" he asked scornfully, pointing a thumb at Grant.

Ginny sighed. "No, it's not. Now leave me alone before I mess up. Do you want me to don this and get hurt because the markings weren't done correctly?"

The professor opened his mouth to say something, thought better, and closed his mouth. He glared at Ginny's smug, triumphant grin; Charlie looked away. "Just so we're clear, Ginny's off-limits, Selwyn," he growled to Grant before storming off to check other students' work.

"What acromantula's up his bum?" Grant remarked.

"He's just being my brother," Ginny stated. "Like I'd have a boyfriend after all that's happened."

Grant merely shrugged. "But you _do_ like someone. That's sort of evident. Who is it?"

Ginny glared at him. "None of your business."

"Thought you might say that." Both of them worked on in silence for several minutes, at a loss for what else to say.

"I…may like someone," Ginny casually said, "but do you?" A thump beside her made Ginny turn her head. She stifled a laugh. "Are you all right?"

Grant got back up and picked up his dragon ski armor. He sat back down and got back to work, but guardedly said nothing.

"You do?"

Once more, nothing.

"You do." Now it was not an inquiry, but a fact. Ginny leaned forward. "Who do _you_ have the hots for, Selwyn?" she whispered.

Grant frowned. "I don't 'have the hots' for anyone, you lewd girl. I'm not sure how much I like her, even." He nodded towards a group of three girls, all Hufflepuffs, who were huddled together. Grant bent inconspicuously to whisper into Ginny's ear. "She's the one with the brown hair and chestnut streaks in her bangs."

Ginny looked at the three Hufflepuffs in turn. The first one was round with short, blonde hair and big dimples. The one in the middle was near anorexic-ly skinny with greasy blue-black straight hair. The last girl was somewhat pretty with chestnut streaks in her bangs as Grant had described, but what made her stand out was her curves. Ginny snorted; Grant was _such_ a guy.

"Her name's Miraphina Atherton and she's…muggle-born." Grant frowned, and Ginny jumped down his throat.

"There's nothing wrong with being muggle-born, you arse."

Grant shook his head, his sepia tendrils of hair hitting his face. "I'm not against that at all, honest. But my family... Being pureblood does have its drawbacks. My parents would probably kill me themselves if they found out I had even intentionally said 'hi' to her. They'd kill me, but who knows what they'd try to do to her."

The witch felt her heart go out to her friend. "Sorry for calling you an arse… You really hate being a Selwyn, don't you?"

"I don't see the same prejudices as them. I hate Death Eaters and that's it…but that also makes up most of my relatives, whether they be dead or not." Grant grinned and he and Ginny laughed. Then he sighed. "But I guess I'll just have to succumb to some nut-job in an arranged marriage." He sighed again and continued with his class work. "Hey, I'm done." Grant held up his dragon skin armor in the sunlight to examine it. "It came out pretty good, too."

Ginny absent-mindedly smiled, but her mind was already formulating a plan…

--------------------------------------- - 3

"You must pour your heart and soul into the stones, and then-" Professor Trelawney said with a daunting tone in her voice. She threw the bone-like beads into the air and they crashed before her onto the floor, displaying a cryptic message. She craned her neck and read them. "I see… This is a very good year for love, indeed. Who knew such great emotions would come to pass only so long after the war…?" Trelawney rambled on, mostly to herself, and a collective sigh and many giggles and snickers rolled throughout the classroom.

_Thank Merlin Grant doesn't have this class,_ Ginny thought, rolling her eyes. _It's hard to say what he'd do first. He'd probably fall out of his chair. Yeah, then his face would go white and he'd wonder if Miraphina knew about him liking her. Guys can be such idiots sometimes…_

"The rune stones are a great part of the Divination process," Trelawney said. "As long as you memorize the thirty-six characters, you will be able to efficiently read the future. But you must remember that we can and cannot control fates. Not everything –as they say –is set in stone." She turned away from the class and spoke again. "Turn to page one ninety-seven and start memorizing the definitions for the first five runes. I expect copies of the sketches the day before the trip into Hogsmead. Carry on now."

Ginny opened her text and grimaced at the illustrations. Weren't they here to learn magic? Not draw little pictures more detailed and enigmatic than the inner workings of Severus Snape's mind.

As she drew the zigzags in the character for death, she felt a heaviness over her heart. Her hand stopped as she gazed at her artwork: a seven-point star stared back at her. Ginny vaguely remembered something from Binns' class about the origin of the ill-omen-carrying shape; each point represented one of the seven deadly sins and the shape as a whole signified one's downfall. An involuntary shiver made its way down her spine. She hoped she wouldn't be seeing that rune stone cast anytime soon.

The last few minutes of Divination elapsed and Ginny was gathering her things when she felt her heart go heavy again. She had been touching one of her pictures when the twinge happened, but it wasn't death this time –it was love. She blushed and hastily shoved the paper into her rucksack. If she was being obvious about liking someone enough that Charlie and Grant had already guessed it, how long would it take for anyone else to notice –and that it was Sirius?

Ginny had mixed feelings as she pushed thoughts of Sirius aside and headed down the stairs for lunch. Now that she knew she loved him –no, liked him; she couldn't possibly _love_ him…could she? –she still got distracted every now and then thinking about what to _do_ with her emotions. It's not like they could just hook up and stroll about the corridors holding hands and whispering sweet nothings to each others. She halted in front of a window and wanted to kick herself for having such girly thoughts. But the dream she had had about Sirius two weeks ago had only developed more. Now it seemed like she couldn't sleep without going back to that fantasy…and "finishing" it in very _imaginative_ ways. Only last night she had dreamed that she had led him into a small forest down by a crystal-clear river and made love to him again while listening to nothing but the beautiful sounds of the bubbling water. Ginny smacked her head; she had to get a hold of herself before she was fantasizing about him every waking minute.

To help draw her away from the eroticism of her mind, she looked out the window and squinted at two figures standing at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. _Probably Charlie,_ she told herself. She stared harder to try and figure out who he was with, but she drew her head back a bit. The person had long, flaxen russet hair –much too feminine to belong to any male. Besides –what guy like that could possibly be at Hogwarts?

Taking two steps at a time, Ginny raced down the stairs to the entrance and streaked down the grass to where Charlie and his mystery woman conversed. When close enough, Ginny slowed down her pace and hid behind a tree, pulling out a familiar flesh-colored string courtesy of Fred and George. She slid the Extendable Ear towards Charlie's direction and hoped that she wouldn't be noticed (at least before she got and juicy information). Charlie's voice came in loud and clear:

"Just go for a few minutes, okay? I don't want to cause speculation around here. Even Dumbledore doesn't know. All I said was I'd bring someone from the Plains. Well, at least I _think_ he doesn't know. You never can really figure out that man."

A melodic sound reached the Extendable Ear. Ginny blinked in surprise as she recognized it was a laugh. "Really, Charles." The accent was perfectly English, without a hint of roughness to it. The voice dropped its sweetness. "I haven't survived the world on stupidity, you dolt. I'll be back before you can say 'see you later, dear'." Ginny peeked around the tree and saw the woman playfully flick his nose. Her tone was kind again. "I'll be right back." She disappeared into the Forest, lost in the depths of its wintry foliage. Ginny emerged from her haven.

"Who the hell was that?!"

Charlie was startled from his work and burned beet red. "Shit… Um, Ginny, that was Laurel, my mate."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "She looked more than a mate to me, _Charles_. She also has the same name as your dragon, though. Creepy."

Just then, a powerful gust blew from the Forest and nearly knocked Ginny off her feet. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see the same Laurel-the-dragon rise into the sky. Ginny looked at the scales; they were the same color as Laurel-the-woman's hair. The witch looked back at her brother as the dragon flew off behind him. He met her eyes with an almost disdainful gaze. "There's a reason I said she's my mate, Gin. Laurel from class is the Laurel I was talking to. She's a were-dragon."

Charlie looked back up at the sky and Ginny did so, as well. Laurel's booming bellow filled the space between them, and then she was off.

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"Meet one of the world's remaining were-dragons!" –just thought you might appreciate a line from the ninth telling. Enjoying things so far? Then REVIEW! You know, with some different couples appearing, things are getting hotter (and not just Ginny having ideas of screwing Sirius, dearies.) Remember I take all reviews as long as I GET THEM. So PLEASE REVIEW!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki


	9. 9th Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

P.P.P.S. This chapter is more of a Charlie chapter and I have no idea what it will contain. Enjoy.

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The Ninth Telling

"Meet one of the world's remaining were-dragons!" Charlie tried to say cheerfully, but Ginny's mood put a damper on things. "Come on, Ginny. Give it a rest already. I apologized."

Laurel, who had come back ten minutes ago, was looking out-of-place. "Maybe I should leave you two to talk," she offered.

"No. Stay," Charlie said, gripping one of her hands. "She'll kill me if you go again."

"Are you saying you're more afraid of you're eighteen-year-old kid sister than a were-dragon from the Dragon Plains?" Laurel fought back a laugh. "All right, I'll stay, but only because I want to see how you get yourself out of this one."

The Care for Magical Creatures professor glared at the female and grimaced. He nervously faced Ginny again. "I guess I've got some explaining to do."

Ginny grinned, but it was more menacing than beaming. "Yes, that would be a good idea considering you've only hit the tip of the iceberg."

Charlie coughed. "Fine… I met Laurel about three years ago. She was new to the Dragon Plains and I thought she was one of the incoming caretakers." He paused and scratched his nose, his face fading into pink. "Not too soon after, I…discovered her secret and learned that she had been living there without telling anyone. I was the only company she got and then the Second Great War was happening. Dumbledore called upon me to see if I could ready any of my coworkers and their dragons, but many remained neutral towards the situation. It took me a while to just even make Bill and Fleur's wedding. I thought I had come by myself, but…" Charlie looked sideways at Laurel, who just smiled and averted his gaze. "She-" Charlie said, pointing to Laurel- "-couldn't seem to leave me alone. Laur gave me a ride when things moved to the Ministry."

He sat on a nearby tree trunk that must've fallen some time ago. Charlie balled up his fists and closed his eyes, remembering everything. "Bill and I were fighting side-by-side, protecting Laur and Fleur. Fleur had been hit by some Curse and suffered a nearly completely shattered left arm; Laur was trying to see if she could undo any of the damage. Bill and I were fighting Yaxley and a dark-haired fellow when it all happened. Bill had Stunned the other guy yards off his feet. Bill gave me an encouraging grin and signaled for us to move forward. It was in that split-second when Yaxley used the Killing Curse on Bill." Charlie's face drained of all color as he pictured his older brother's last smile. "Fleur's screams for her arm had been bad enough, but when she saw Bill fall…" Charlie shook his head, shaking the audible memory from his mind. "I don't think I'll ever hear such a bloodcurdling shriek as long as I live…"

Laurel, who knew what came next, stepped to Charlie's side and rested a comforting hand on his shoulder. His hand went to hers –out of appreciation of habit, Ginny knew not.

Charlie composed himself enough to continue. "Fleur's continuous hollers pissed Yaxley off to no end, and he murdered her with the same Unforgivable Curse." Now the next-oldest Weasley child was quiet. Laurel gripped his shoulder.

"I acted on my own, then," she said, frowning at how sad the memory had made her love and locking eyes with Ginny. "I jumped from Fleur's body to Charlie, who moved in front of me to protect me. I saw the Dark Wizard aim his wand and I just…_knew_ he wanted to end things there. Instinct took over, I guess." Laurel smiled at the thought, but it was more melancholy than a pout should've been. "I shifted into my other form, rose into the air, swooped down, and decapitated him." The were-dragon licked her lips, a feral look appearing in her eyes. "It wasn't enough for me. I knew the damage that had been done to Charlie because he had told me so much about all of you. My talons tore through what was left of Yaxley and went for another go, just for assurance. When I felt –well, I wouldn't say 'satisfied' –when I felt that the job was done, I turned back to Charlie, who was standing stock still, white as a ghost. He cringed when I flew at him, but I wasn't about to let him be killed, because the other Dark Wizard had already shot a jet of green light at him –the same one I had seen moments earlier –and I picked Charlie up in my hind talons and flew him to the safest place I knew: the Dragon Plains. He had suffered several nasty Hexes and his rib cage was almost all stuck in his lungs due to a Jinx. Broken ribs may heal in a few weeks or a couple of months, but it took him many, many months for him to even breathe properly. Obviously, things had ended here before then, but Charlie was in no mental state to be in any contact with anyone else." Laurel joined Charlie on the tree trunk, and he promptly buried his face in her shoulder. "He honestly only fully recovered a few weeks before Dumbledore contacted him about working a class this year. Please be understanding with him, Ginevra." The look in Laurel's eyes was pitifully pleading. "He didn't run from battle. I took him away before he knew what was even happening. But _I_ knew what I was doing." She clenched her fists in her lap, but didn't look away from Ginny, a sign of her strength that she could confront her emotions from back then. "I only thought in that moment that I was going to be robbed of Charlie. I could think of nothing else."

Now it was Laurel's turn to lose it, and Charlie kissed away the hot tears silently falling down her cheeks. Ginny looked at the two of them not with pity or anger or even disgust, but with admiration. Charlie had really only survived because of Laurel, and Laurel had found her purpose in life when she met Charlie, who had –in a way –saved _her_. Ginny couldn't possibly hate them for that. Sighing, she tried to looked grossed out. "Get a room, you two," she said playfully.

Charlie removed his mouth from Laurel's and genuinely smiled; he understood that Ginny had forgiven him. But his smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. "Gin…how did Perc and Ron…die?"

A lump caught itself in Ginny's throat, but she swallowed it down. "Percy was killed by a wizard trying to kill Ron and me, but Ron killed that guy with his bare hands. Ron…" She paused and breathed deeply. Ginny gathered her courage and retold that story to Charlie and Laurel. To her amazement, Charlie wasn't angry with Sirius, even though she had been. "Why?" she asked him, half appalled, half curious.

"If you think about it," Charlie said, wincing as he thought of what Ginny might say next, "Sirius couldn't do anything. If Ron wanted to save Sirius for Harry, then I'll respect his decision. I can't say that I like it at all, but I'll respect it. Ron was always one to act first, but he had a good heart, and you can't blame him –or Sirius –for what he did."

Ginny thought of something to say, but didn't. She took a step back from her other raging emotions and examined Charlie's logic, realizing it made sense. She felt defeated; now, not only was there no one to blame, but there wasn't any blame for anyone to shoulder. It actually made her…happy, she sensed. Now, she didn't have to view Sirius as a bad guy anymore –just a devilish, sexy good guy. Blushing, she shook her head to keep herself from undressing him with her eyes again; now was _NOT_ the time to be thinking perverted thoughts with her brother before her. Changing the subject, she asked Laurel, "Does Charlie being your mate have the same meaning as when a werewolf finds his mate?"

"I guess," Laurel replied warily. "I can't say the instincts are one-hundred percent the same since I've never met another were-dragon. Then again, I was scratched by a rare species of dragon. You don't find many Tri-Taloned Featherwings in the world. No other draconian species has ever experienced a kind of anthropomorphic magic in them, which leads Charlie and me to suspect that only Tri-Taloned have the ability." She had been lost in thought during her speech, but blinked and smiled when she was done. "I'm just hoping that since there's so few, we won't have an uprising of were-dragons."

Nodding, Ginny pushed up her sleeve and looked at her silver-chained watch; she gasped in horror. "_Shit!!_ Lunch is over and I'm going to be late for Charms!" She leaned forward, hugged a surprised Charlie, waved to Laurel, and streaked up the green back to the castle. Ginny made it in time before Flitwick had even begun; she sat next to Grant, whose face had been drained of all color. "What happened to _you_?" she whispered.

Grant only shook his head, not even looking at her. Before she could repeat herself, Flitwick waddled to his pedestal at the front of the room. "I am proud to say all of the homework I received from Professor Weasley was perfectly executed," the goblin squeaked. "A's to all of you! Your illustrated Charms were excellent! So today, we'll start something a little less involved. Veritaserum is handy when you need the truth coaxed from someone, but it takes months to properly brew it. Today, we'll work with a design that packs a little less punch, but is just as handy if you don't have any Veritaserum. Wands out, please, and watch the design I trace in the air…"

-------------------------------------------- - 3

Charlie cursed as the last first-year disappeared from the trees of the Forbidden Forest. He removed his gloves and threw them on the ground. "Bloody eleven-year-olds! Bunch of ball-less pansies, they are!"

Laurel emerged from the tree she had been watching from. Her straight hair with its slight wave at the end fell over her shoulder, but she brushed it back. "Even if I agree with you, Charles, they are nothing but children."

"But we were only catching Murnies! The things won't do anything to you unless they see you're actually going to stick them in your mouth!! UGH!!!" Charlie mimed pulling his hair out as he stomped to the cottage previously belonging to Rubeus Hagrid, currently belonging to him. He swung the door open and went to the large cot in the corner and sat upon it. Laurel closed the door behind her. "Now I understand why Hagrid retired. Getting married and living in France beats the hell out of dealing with a bunch of po-faced babies and dickhead teenagers." His voice shook as he laughed: "Did you know I caught a Slytherin boy sharing a pornographic magazine with his buddies at the back of my class the other day? How could he _possibly_ think he wasn't going to get caught with his hand actually shoved down the front of his pants?! Jerking off during the middle of a teacher's lecture is a _little_ noticeable, you know." Charlie huffed. "I'm sorry. I'm very exhausted. I don't know what I'd do without this break after the first-years…" He shook off his over-robe and lie back on his bed.

Laurel joined him, lying on her side so as to face him. "Who knows how long you'll need this job? You should at least stick with it for the rest of the school year." She traced circles on his chest with the index finger of her left hand. "Also, the holidays are coming up in a month. Are you going to introduce me to your family? I've been wanting to meet them, Charlie." Laurel's reddish brown eyes sparkled.

"Christmas... That's right. I'll have been with you for three full, real years come this holiday, Laur."

"And what you wouldn't do without me."

He smiled a grin that was ear-to-ear and relaxed enough to rest a bit. Charlie remembered the day –rather, night –he had met Laruel very well…

Charlie's memory (told you it'd be a Charlie chapter, folks)

_The sky was blacker than the darkest black, and few stars dotted it. Under its cover, beneath another cloak of tree tops, Charlie Weasley trekked his way into a clearing. _That's strange. I could've sworn I Sensed someone out here._ In all his years of working in Romania, Charlie had learned that both humans and dragons alike were some _ones, _and a dragon was never some _thing.

_He scanned the clearing again. Still, no one appeared. Charlie concentrated on finding whoever it was that had drawn him here, but even with all his energy focused on the one task, it was a failed experiment. The wizard turned around and left the clearing, but he didn't write the experience off as a fluke. He _knew_ someone was there._

_He was right._

_Just as he had disappeared in the hedges on the outer skirts of the clearing, a long tail whizzed by and uprooted several trees. A resounding thud hit the other end of the field, and Charlie turned right around and ran back._

_Charlie could not believe his eyes. He had never seen a dragon of this species, but a brusque description of it had caught his attention when studying draconian anatomy. The three claws per paw –two fingers, one thumb; the curved spike balanced on the tip of the tail; the subtle ridge of horns starting at the brow, growing larger at the head, running smaller nearer the tail; and then the wings…dragon-like, but with authentic feathers –like a bird's... This dragon was thought to be extinct, but here Charlie was, staring at the gargantuan silhouette of a Tri-Taloned Featherwing._

_He looked it over and determined that the dragon needed only a quick rest. Charlie wrapped his woolen over-robe tighter around himself and sat down to watch over the being. He was glad it wasn't going to snow tonight... Soon he was fast asleep, but what felt like minutes later was really hours; Charlie could tell it was dawn by the early morning roses and pewters of the sky. He sat up and realized with a start that the dragon wasn't under him anymore. His eyes did a once-over on his surroundings –and then he saw her extending a hand out to him._

_"Are you all right? I found you asleep on the ground by yourself; that's my cloak behind you." She smiled. "You used it as a pillow."_

_For a moment, Charlie was too breathless to speak. The woman in front of him was tall –almost his height –and had straight, long golden-bronze hair with a slight wave at the bottom. She wasn't skinny or too muscular, but was definitely in shape. Her sleeveless collar shirt was partly undone at the top and he could tell she was…well-endowed. The shirt also came above her stomach, which was flat and in shape, too. Her slacks were of a well-worn material and she wore a belt with them, a wand tucked in between the two. Thick, leather, knee-high black boots with a slight heel were on her feet, and Charlie found himself looking her up and down like he was a child in a candy-store. She was gorgeous!!_

_Suddenly aware of his gaping mouth, Charlie apologized. "I'm sorry- I didn't realize-" He paused. "Wait. Have you seen a dragon near here?"_

_Her face didn't betray any emotion. "No. I've only bumped into you. You're from the valley over these hills, correct? You must be from the Dragon Plains."_

_Something hit Charlie. "Oh! Are you the new recruit? They should've told you exactly where to go. Have you been there already?"_

_"Er…yes, I have. They said I could go about my own business, learning out here. They…also said you're my instructor."_

_Charlie blinked. "What?! This is just like Boss to spring things on me…" He stood up. "Well, I guess we could start. What's your name?"_

_"Laurel. Laurel Windmere." She smiled and Charlie felt a tingle travel down his spine and end…well, you know where. He's a guy._

_The scene faded and Charlie was running through the forest, his face distorted with worry. "Laurel! Laurel!! Where are you?!" Every fiber of his being was distraught. He hadn't meant to push her so hard. She had been doing well with the organizing of the different dragons' caves and Charlie thought she was ready to actually handle meeting one of them, but she had run away once dusk had fallen and they were about to meet the elder dragon of the Plains. But she wasn't scared; that wasn't the feeling he was getting from her. As Charlie thought of everything he had learned about Laurel over the past month, his eyes were finally opened. Things didn't add up…_

_Laurel still had yet to interact with anyone else from the Plains, both human and dragon. She was careful about handling the different caves, only doing it when the dragon was out and always washing before she entered, almost as if she didn't want any of the dragons to catch her scent. And then, once a month, when there was a new moon…she would be off on her own._

_Immediately, Charlie looked up into the sky –the moonless sky. Of course. It was another new moon. He had the feeling that he would know her secret soon…_

_Charlie veered to the right, heading to their field –the field where they had first met. Truth be told, he wasn't that surprised to see it happening, but his body still let a small gasp escape his lips. Before him, Laurel was running to the other edge of the clearing, a stripping away her toggery as a ridge of horns poked through her skin and grew in size. Naked, she fell to her knees as her spine grew out from her and became a tail –one not unlike the tail of the Tri-Taloned, Charlie noted. Every part of her changed to become dragon-like, while at the same time exponentially expanded to fill the shape of a full-grown dragon. It was done after some time and Charlie frowned. Poor Laurel; she was the Tri-Taloned Featherwing and she was a were-dragon, at that._

_He reached his mind out to hers. _Laur…it's Charlie. Are you all right?_ He sensed her jolt at his sudden prodding in her mind. _I didn't mean to spy on you, if that's what you're thinking.

It's not…,_ she replied in his mind. _I just didn't want you to find out. I was hideously scarred five years ago while in the mountains with my parents, and now I become this every new moon. I'm sorry, Charles. I do not want to hurt you.

Since when have you called me 'Charles'?! _But his worry deepened. Charlie met her huge red eyes before she lifted off the ground. And then she was soaring away from him, possibly forever… _How dare she…?!_ Charlie walked to her clothes and gathered them in his arms. Her wand fell out of the folds of her shirt and he grasped it. Decided now, he sat right where her clothes had been and waited…_

_He stayed fully awake until the sun rose and there was no sign of Laurel. _Go figure,_ he thought. _The one girl I meet that's not a nut-job, and she's a were-dragon. Goddammit…_ Charlie stood and let his sadness flow into his gait, his feet dragging on the mossy dirt._

You waited.

_The thought caught him off-guard. He turned around and saw Laurel directly behind him, clothed in nothing but the rich sunlight. Blushing, he handed her her clothes and looked away as she changed into them. When she was done, she tapped his shoulder._

_"I wasn't sure what to expect of people when they found out what I am, but you've given me hope, Charlie," she said fondly. She was quiet. "…you saw them just now, didn't you?"_

_Charlie winced. "Yeah…" He knew exactly where she had been scratched: right across the front of her body, from her left shoulder to her right hip, three narrow, fleshy strips marred her otherwise remarkable body. His anger flooded him again. "How could you just leave like that? I thought you were gone for good!"_

_Laurel furrowed her brow. "Hello? I left my clothes here, you imbecile."_

_"You could've pillaged more from some village!"_

_"What kind of dragon do you take me for?!"_

_"The kind that runs away before I can tell her how I feel!!" Both of them were huffing and angrily glaring at the other. Charlie's expression softened a bit. "I've fallen for you and I thought I'd have to keep that to myself for the rest of my life because I wasn't sure if you'd return or not."_

_Laurel looked shocked. "Th-That's why I went away every time I changed! I didn't want to risk you getting hurt because I-" She reddened and Charlie smiled, loving how cute she looked. "-I love you, too," she finished._

_Charlie laughed. "Good to know, good to know." He kissed her and she willingly allowed him. They backed up against the tree, cooling off (or maybe heating up) in its shade. Laurel's hands cupped Charlie's face as they kissed, and Charlie kept one hand on the tree trunk while the other kept her body on his._

_She laughed herself as his breath fluttered over her breasts while he undid her shirt. Laurel untucked his green shirt and let her hands play at his hips before undoing his belt and tossing it onto the ground. Charlie did the same for her and, soon, she was up against his body like never before. He was inside her and she moaned with pleasure. She gripped his back and let her fingers dig into his skin, trying to pull him in even more. He kissed her breasts and nuzzled her neck, slowly lowering her down onto the cool grass._

_Charlie kissed her breasts again and slid his tongue over her flat stomach, going further south and then further. Laurel shivered and then his face was above hers again. She kissed his chin, which made him blush, and smiled. He smiled back and then they were at it once more._

_When they were finally spent, Charlie lied down beside Laurel and quietly traced his fingers over her scars. His fingertips paused when the scars led him to her breasts and Laurel would have a slight intake of breath, but then he would grin and finish tracing the pink line to her hip._

_It was a while before either of them said anything. "The sun's setting again…," Laurel commented._

_"Eh, let it set." Charlie snuggled closer to Laurel and closed his eyes. He would have to get back to the base soon… Sometimes, the Plains ruined all his fun._

_Laurel nudged him and he moved off of her so she could prop herself up on her elbows. "Come on. You have to go back, Charlie."_

_"Don't wanna."_

_"Charlie…"_

_"Nope."_

_"Charles. Get dressed. Now."_

_He got up and changed back into his clothes, a grumpy look permanently set on his features. Charlie waited while Laurel dressed, and then she walked him to the other edge of the field. He looked at her and partly frowned._

_Laurel smiled. "Go on now and get some real rest. And food. You know you'll see me later."_

_Charlie happily kissed her and headed back. Halfway, he felt her edging around his mind again._

Be with me. Always. Okay, Charlie?

_He had but one answer: _Of course.

End of Charlie's memory

Charlie awoke to find Laurel breathing evenly on his chest, fast asleep. He moved out from under her and carefully pulled a blanket out, placing it gently on her. He put his over-robe back on and headed back outside, ready for his next class. If he had dealt with dragons and a were-dragon lover, surely he could handle children…?

"Eek! The Murnies are so slimieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!"

Then again…maybe not.

-------------------------------------- - 3

"Grant. Come on." Ginny poked him continuously, but he swatted her hand away. "Look, you were a complete Inferi during class. What happened to you?"

The Slytherin finally opened his mouth. "You know the girl I told you about, Miraphina Atherton?"

"Yes…?"

"She asked me out. She has a crush on me, just as bad as the one I have on her."

Ginny couldn't hold it in. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" She stopped at the hurt look on his face. "You're telling the truth," she stated incredulously; he nodded. Oh, how lively things were getting…and she still had Sirius to consider. If a girl like Miraphina could tell a guy like Grant her true feelings, then Ginny should be able to tell Sirius that she loved him, but when? She looked outside at the clouds forming and knew it would probably snow tonight. The holidays were coming up and she would not see him for a few weeks, so maybe…

The redhead smiled. How romantic. She had to figure how to tell him she loved him before Christmas. Then she grimaced. _Easier said than done…_

----------------------------------------- - 3

I…loved this chapter. Charlie's a cool guy, and now you see just how cool Laurel is, too. Lucky Grant has Miraphina, but will Ginny be as lucky? Or is there a detention heading her way? Find out in chapter 10!

AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW, PRETTY PLEASE!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki :)


	10. 10th Telling

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

-------------------------------- - 3

The Tenth Telling

"Just what are you reading, you silly girl?"

Ginny hid her book from Madam Pince and dove outside the library before she could see what exactly it was she had. If Madam Pince saw her reading a muggle dating book, she'd probably have a heart-attack, accusing Ginny of disgracing everything witch-like.

Grimacing herself, Ginny stuffed the book into the bottom of her bag, crimsoning on her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Merlin… She couldn't stop trying to think of the right time to tell Sirius how she felt, and she knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate during class if she kept on like this. How she wished the circumstances weren't so.

The witch entered the classroom as things were settling down. She sat next to a cheery Grant, who had a date planned with Miraphina later on. Ginny sighed.

"I guess you guys have gotten good," Sirius said sarcastically with a smile. "So we'll do something harder today." A groan swept throughout the classroom. "Yes, yes, I knew you were up to it. Split up into pairs and we'll start with blocks and dodges. Kinda important if you want to stay alive."

The kids paired up and Ginny looked around; even Grant had taken someone else as his partner, a Ravenclaw boy. Someone poked her back and she turned. "Uh, you're Ginny, right?"

"Yes. Miraphina, correct?" Ginny had finally met the girl Grant was raving about. "Do you want to be partners?"

Miraphina smiled. "Sure!"

Class carried on and both witches had perfectly executed different moves over and over again. Neither said anything, though, and Ginny quickly felt uncomfortable. She didn't know it was so hard being around her best friend's love interest.

"Hey, Ginny…?"

The girl's small voice caught Ginny off-guard, but there were no spells going between them, so Ginny gratefully took the break. "Is something wrong?"

Miraphina stepped close to Ginny and whispered in her ear. "Do you like Grant?"

Ginny blinked. "No, of course not," she quietly answered. "I mean, he's been my best mate since we started the year together, but I'm not interested in him romantically."

The brunette suddenly took on an air of great confidence. "Good. I was hoping I wouldn't have any competition for him, but I couldn't be too sure since you're his mate and a girl. No hard feelings?"

"Barely any," Ginny said. This girl was _weird_. Of course, so was Grant. _Huh,_ Ginny thought. _A perfect match._ "Um…Miraphina?"

"Please, call me Mira."

"Can I ask _you_ something?"

"Shoot."

Now Ginny felt as awkward as Miraphina had been a second ago. "Look –don't ask me why I'm asking –but…how did you tell Grant?"

Miraphina blinked now. "Easy. I plucked up the courage, waited for him after lunch today, and told him how I felt. Then I asked him if we could hang out tonight." She smiled. "He turned red, dropped his jaw, and I kissed his cheek, telling him to meet me outside the Great Hall after supper. We're going to hang outside together under the stars." Miraphina turned serious for a moment. "Although I'm glad you don't like him, I was kinda hoping you could tell me if he's a good snogger. Hmmm…"

Ginny looked at Miraphina incredulously; she was so two-faced. Or maybe just facing a split personality…? The redhead closed her eyes and cleared those thoughts from her mind. Then it came to her. She smiled. _Sirius, here I come._

Class ended not too soon afterward and Ginny lolled behind, slowly returning all her books to her rucksack, rearranging them, and even placing her wand in "just the right spot". She looked up, as it was quiet, and saw that everyone else had cleared out of the room. Keeping her actions going at the same rate, she sluggishly closed and picked up her bag, and then made her way to Sirius's desk –and then saw that he wasn't there either. Sighing, she walked back to the door and was about to open it when an arm reached out and kept her from doing so.

"Do you need something, Ginny?"

She gulped, faced Sirius, opened her mouth, and –nothing. Shit! Nothing would come out of her mouth.

Sirius –forlornly, maybe? –frowned. "Stop playing games and get to class," he muttered, disappointed.

Ginny watched him face his desk and move forward, but her hand reached out on an impulse and yanked on his hair.

He yelped. "What'd you do that-?!"

"Tonight," she finally stated. "Tonight. In the Room of Requirement. Meet me there. Okay?"

Sirius's face was blank. "Okay…"

Ginny felt her heart lift; things were working out now. "All right then! I'll see you later." She opened the carved door and left, silently closing it behind her.

Even Sirius felt slightly light-hearted. He sighed, but with a small smile on his face. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny… Just like the weather, you are. I can never trust a forecast because you're always changing on me…"

---------------------------------- - 

She shifted on her feet; silence filled the room, all eyes on him. "Fine. I'll excuse you today since you gave me all the directions for brewing Sirenian Parfum, but you will sit down and make sure this is the last time you are ever late to my class, Weasley." Snape turned his back on her as Ginny joined Grant and Miraphina. "Homework out now. I will collect it before anyone feels like copying another's essay."

The parchments before each student drifted to his desk, but Snape stopped writing on the blackboard. He turned and lifted the stack of papers into his hands, counting them…

Meanwhile, Ginny tore through her entire Potions text, scanning for her essay. _Shitohshitohshitohshitohshitohshitohshit!!!!!!!!!_ She fumbled around in her bag and glanced at the other papers in it, but none of them were for Potions. _Crap! I must have left it in Sirius's class while gathering all my things. It probably fell on the floor and I didn't even notice. Let's hope Snape won't notice…_

"Weasley, it seems I am missing this assignment from you."

_…or not._ "Y-Yes, sir, I think there seems to be a minor setback. I may have dropped it in one of my previous classes. If I could just go and check…?"

Snape didn't even look at her. "No, you may not. You not having it right now is as good as you never writing it. I will not grant you time to scribble something out, Weasley. Detention. My office. Right after supper."

Ginny was careful not to show her horror. After supper! But that's when she had promised- "Sir, maybe another night…?"

"And why should another night be better than this one?"

She knew she wasn't going to win this one. Sullen, Ginny lowered her head. "I don't know, professor."

"Good. Then after supper, it is."

------------------------------------ - 3

It felt like a breath of fresh air once Ginny, Grant, and Miraphina had exited Snape's awful Potions chambers. "I can't believe this!!" Ginny exclaimed as they made their way to the Great Hall. "How could he-?! Tonight of all nights and-!! Now I can't-!! UGH!!!"

Grant looked at Ginny skeptically. "What can't you do tonight? Is your brother right? Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Oh, don't go there! The last thing I need right now is another brother intent on me being a nun!!!" Ginny flared her nostrils and stomped ahead of the two lovebirds.

Miraphina frowned. "I can't say I disagree with her… She looked rather troubled. I wonder why she's so angry." She and Grant stopped at the entrance to the Great Hall and she squeezed his hand. "I'll see you later, Grant."

"Yeah…" And then the two split, heading to their respective house's tables.

------------------------------------ - 3

At the staff's table, Sirius finished his pumpkin juice when he overheard Charlie speaking –okay, whining –to Neville.

"…I think she has a boyfriend. There's no way I'm allowing that. Not with all the other insolent cads she's previously dated. Including Harry. For him to just ignore her and then date Hermione… I'd tear all her exes limb-from-limb if it was legal."

Neville shakily smiled in agreement. "But she _is_ an adult now, Charlie, so maybe you should let her-"

Charlie glared at the Herbology professor. "Maybe I should what? Let her handle things on her own?"

That remark irked Sirius. "She's not a kid anymore, you know." When Charlie gave him the same evil eye he had given Neville, Sirius returned it. "Well, she isn't. She survived all of _that_ more than a year ago. You should give the girl some credit for picking her chin up and actually coming back instead of running away from everything."

"And how would you know?" Charlie shot back. "You weren't even there for the bloody battle. You were caught in the veil for nearly three years. Don't think you can just waltz right out of it as if nothing has changed."

Sirius stood and slammed his hand on the table. "I know that things have changed," he said, the heat in his voice leaking a bit. Embarrassed, with Charlie's and Neville's eyes on him, Sirius shoved his chair out of the way and made his way out of the Great Hall, passing Snape on the way by. Again, his ears perked up.

"No, Miss Weasley is a very good student in my class," Flitwick answered Snape. "On par with Miss Granger from a few years back. You remember her, don't you, Severus?"

"Yes," Snape replied. Sirius heard the clank of Snape's fork on a clean plate. "If you'll excuse me, I have someone serving detention now for not handing in her homework, that person being the Weasley you have just been exclaiming about, Filius. Good night."

The goblin squeaked 'good night' to Snape and then Sirius moved on, knowing Snape was behind him. Sirius finally reached his classroom and looked around. He half-smiled; the place looked like a pigsty…

He moved the desks and chairs back into their places and felt it was time to retire. There was no way Ginny would meet him later if she had detention with Snape… Sirius picked up bits of trash on the floor when he saw a piece of parchment. He held it up to the light and saw Ginny's name in the top-right corner. He winced. Her homework had been here the whole time… Damn, that sucks. Being the do-gooder (or selfish) person he was, Sirius decided to hand it in to Snape to see if that might help her a bit. He left his room and sauntered down the corridor. "Snivellus, dear…"

-------------------------------------- - 3

The look on his face was terrifying.

"My homework turned up?"

Snape glowered at Ginny. "Unfortunately, yes, but you did still show up late for class."

"But you said you'd excused me for that by telling you the ingredients for the parfum," Ginny pointed out.

Stumped and stymied, Snape backed down. "So I did… Fine. You're safe for tonight, but the next slip-up you have will be the last time you see daylight, Weasley." Snape slammed his office door in her face and she rolled her eyes. When she reached then end of the hallway, she also flipped him the bird.

Racing along the few shortcuts she still remembered, Ginny hoped and worried with all her heart that Sirius had kept their engagement. She was twenty minutes late as it was, and could be severely punished if she was caught out of bed. Of course, Sirius could always say she had detention with him…

Finally, she reached the Room of Requirement. But where was Sirius? Of course, he could always be inside already, but then how would she now what to think in order for the door to materialize? Ginny exhaled and wished that Hogwarts could be more like the Burrow, or Twelve Grimmauld Place, where the stairs stayed where they were and doors led to the rooms they were supposed to lead to…

Unexpectedly, the door to the Room of Requirement appeared and Ginny took a step back. With all that she had just been thinking about, Sirius could be anywhere, from somewhere else in Hogwarts to the Burrow.

She entered the room and immediately stopped to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. The area was relatively small and stank of dead animals. A few boxes were piled up in one corner and a single chair sat before the window, occupied by everyone's favorite Animagus. The soft moonlight was filtered by the thin layer of gook on the window's glass, but it still illuminated the room enough for one to make their way to it and back.

"Sirius?" she called out. Ginny heard a low, rumbling, muffled sound come from his direction. She stood behind the chair. "Sirius?" she repeated, softer than before.

With a jolt, the wizard looked up. "OH! H-Hi! I as just waiting for you and I…kind of dozed off, I guess." Sirius smiled. "So what's all the fuss about?"

Ginny fell to her knees, tears pricking the back of her eyes. Finally, _finally_ something had gone right. She felt like cackling like a mad woman, considering all of the crazy things that had happened to her since the beginning of the term. She did chuckle a bit and sighed. "Honestly…"

Sirius knelt down beside her. "I have a feeling this isn't about class," he stated with a forced smile.

"Really, it has to do with class. And school. You. Me." Ginny calmed herself down by slowly exhaling, and then felt ready. "Do you know just how much you've screwed up?"

He took to his defenses. "None of that was my fault. I-"

She cut across him. "You come back, start teaching here, become someone I can rely on…to hit on me." She gave him a mischievous look at the sight of his cheeks flushing. "But you've also made me wonder about you. Enough to almost go barking mad."

"And just what are you wondering about me?" he queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Probably exactly what you're wondering about me." He gave her a quizzical look. "Oh, you know, just wondering if you're a good shag." Sirius's eye bulged out of his head. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Come on. Give me some credit. I was joking." She paused. "Okay, joking, but not entirely lying about that part. That's not the point, though."

Sirius felt the room was suddenly getting very warm. "If that's not the point, then what is?"

Ginny breathed deeply again. "The point is, your actions and words have had a great influence on me." She stopped and remembered what had happened in her dream about him weeks ago; maybe she could try that approach… She looked him in the eye. "You love me," she stated matter-of-fact-ly.

There was a sharp whistle as his drew his breath in. "Well, I guess it's one thing if I've been obvious to you. No one else has noticed, have they?" She laughed at him in response. "Yeah, yeah… The thing is, when all of that stuff happened with the War and the veil, I knew that you hated me, so I wanted to try and step lightly around you. I decided that I would be a shoulder if you needed it, but I left you alone because that's what you wanted. Then Dumbledore asked Remus and me about classes, and I accepted it, figuring that you'd probably be happier with me further away from you. Just so you know, I didn't know Molly was forcing you back here to try and wrap your schooling up."

"Yeah, Mum kinda told me about it last minute," Ginny interjected.

"Well, even here I had decided to play the neutral card. I mean, I was here to teach and nothing more. Not to spy on you for your parents or whatever. But you…you were losing it." Sirius grimaced at his frankness, but she let him continue. "The others didn't seem to care or really notice that you were becoming someone else. I didn't want that to happen to you." He tentatively lifted his fingers up to brush the stray hairs in here eyes away and was surprised to see that she allowed him. "I remember being two different people when I was still at Hogwarts. I was a loudmouth and troublemaker here, but I tried my best to act like I was in Slytherin at home, in hopes that it would rectify my relationship with my parents. Of course," he said with another tiny grin, "look where that got me."

Ginny chuckled. "If you hadn't given me that shred of courage that time in the stairwell, I probably would've cracked and then I'd have a _real_ problem on my hands. You know, you're a good kisser."

"Thanks," Sirius said, trying not to laugh. He mellowed. "Not only did I feel you shouldn't have to change yourself, but…part of me wanted to protect you from all of the horrible things happening to you, and I knew the best I could do was just listen and talk. I began realizing more of my old, playful self when I was near you, though. It was fun teasing you. You're just really fun to tease, you know that?"

She playfully glared at him. "I'll just ignore that…"

Sirius smiled. "But you were appealing and I didn't even realize it. Of course, when you burst into my classroom, claiming to have had a lewd dream about me, I was wondering if we had accidentally wandered into the same dream."

Ginny was nearly the same shade of red as her hair. "I was hoping you hadn't actually caught my words."

"Oh, I did…" Sirius turned from cheery to smoldering. "Then you were avoiding me and daydreaming, ignoring me consciously and unconsciously. I can't begin to tell you how much that bothered me, all the way to the core."

"You want to talk about bothered-"

He gripped her arms below her shoulders and made sure she was looking at him. "I've fallen in love with you, and you've made it very hard to keep my cool, especially by hanging out with that Slytherin."

"Grant's just my friend, Sirius. And keeping your cool? I- Wait. You've really fallen for me?" His gray eyes bore into her blue ones. "Well, I suppose this makes things a bit easier…" She cleared her throat, but her voice was a tad hoarse. "When I said 'lewd' dreams, um, that was barely scratching the surface. You see, I kept on having romantic thoughts –and some perverse ones –about us. I remembered the calming effect you had on me, but the sight of you would also send blood pulsing through my veins and –and I knew it." She looked away, somewhat embarrassed. "I knew that this was different from how I'd ever felt before. I knew that I didn't just like you, but…_loved_ you." Ginny turned back to him. "I love you, Sirius. You pull me in with your aura, whether it's comforting, cheery, or just plain X-rated."

Sirius's jaw dropped, closed, dropped again, and then closed once more. "Well, this is kind of unexpected. Unexpected, though, not unwanted, because it's very wanted. Very wanted, indeed." He took all of her in with his eyes and felt a shock go through him. Sirius leaned forward and kissed her plush lips.

The reaction was phenomenal. Ginny had never experienced so many emotions swimming through her veins: love, lust, happiness, relief… She put her arms around his neck and he hugged her to him. This was it. This was what it meant to feel utter, true bliss.

The wizard pulled away after a minute. "I won't be leaving your side ever again, Ginny. Never."

Ginny smiled –but then the apprehension seized her. What had she done? She knew Sirius was all her heart could think about, but…her parents…her brothers… How would her family take this, especially considering all that Sirius had been through? Ginny could hear her mother now.

Sirius felt her waver and his brow furrowed. "Is something the matter?"

She looked into his eyes and felt a halcyon feeling sweep through her. Everyone else had a better-half; Ginny had found hers. The others could just go to hell…for now, at least. The redhead shook her head. "Nothing. Everything's perfect." They kissed again and again, but they soon stood and headed to the exit.

"I guess we'll still have to play it safe since we're at school," Sirius commented before opening the door. "I'll walk you back to the dorms."

They strode through the dimly lit halls in silence, but it was easier to be around the other now. Yes, they couldn't go around hand-in-hand, but both of them were plenty content. Soon, the portrait of the Fat Lady appeared before them and Ginny turned to Sirius. "Good night," she said.

Fighting down the impulse to kiss her again, Sirius did the same. "Good night."

The witch turned to the portrait, said "Hippogriff", and vanished into the hole behind the painting. The portrait then swung shut and the Fat Lady glared at Sirius. "That light's a bit strong, you know."

Sirius was back in his right mind again. "Oh, sorry. 'Night." He left for his own room and found himself plagued by dreams similar to what Ginny had, but was quite fine with them. Ah, someday soon for real…

------------------------------------------- - 3

:) Who else loved this chapter? Ginny and Sirius are finally together!!! But, secretly, you'll enjoy the next chapter more. Also, the next few chapters are entering the 'Blossoming' stage. You see that chapters 1-10 were 'Tellings'? That's because Ginny and Sirius weren't together yet. I know it's a little confusing, but I'll still say that it's chapter 11 and 12 if you don't like this stuff. But it's just how things go for this story. And now, a word from our fav couple:

Sirius: "Hey, after Gin left Snape's and was going to meet me, you typed that she hoped I had kept our 'engagement'. We aren't engaged. Why aren't we engaged? I wanna be engaged to Ginny!!"

Ginny rolls her eyes: "Get a grip. Knowing mew-tsubaki, she'll make us all cutesy."

Me: "Cutesy, like your wet dream of him in chapter 7? Or cutesy, like Charlie and Laurel in the previous chapter?"

Ginny: "Well, if you're going to make things erotic, I guess that's okay… Wait. What did Charlie and Laurel do? Oh, Merlin, did they-? Eew. I won't be able to get that out of my head for a _long_ time to come."

Sirius: "You know, 'come' is _such_ a funny word."

Okay, that's enough from those two. Please look out for the next chapter. AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki

P.S. To the Future has finally broken 10,000 hits! YAY! Thanks goes to Maxie1514, Valinor's Twilight, handoveryourcookies, and LittleLovely, for reviews. Thanks to prettykitty3000 for C2s. And thanks to those who favorited me: AmethystPheonix, LittleLovely, Mews10, Sirius-Sexy-Lady, Valinor's Twilight, lilsis11, sheko.


	11. 11th Telling 1st Blossom

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

-------------------------------- - 3

The First Blossom (& the Eleventh Telling)

Happy that she had confessed her love to him (and snogged him some more), Ginny felt too giddy to sleep. So she, of course, slept like a log. :)

The next morning was quiet and brought lucky omens with its golden weather. Ginny was glad it was the weekend and changed into her dark denim jeans and a velvet green turtleneck. Hey, the weather was perfect, but it was already December. December in the mountains in a castle with no heating system is fucking COLD, people.

She grabbed her Creatures homework, plucked a large bran muffin from her house table, and went outside to enjoy the weather. Ginny sat under an oak on the green, benefiting from the frigid, but sunny, conditions. The tip of her quill made a ticking sound as she tapped it on her parchment, rooting around in her brain for the right words to finish her essay on Wurgle characteristics. _Who the hell cares about Wurgles?_

"Look…"

Ginny's ears heard hoarseness Sirius usual smooth and mischievous voice. She craned her neck so she could look out around the tree. Sirius was standing with one of the Ravenclaw failures from Defense Against the Dark Arts and was shaking his head, looking exasperated.

"I've been nice and haven't made you stay after," Sirius told the girl. "But you won't be getting a N.E.W.T. from me if you don't shape up. I want a seventeen-inch essay from you explaining the proper defensive tactics we've been going over in class, what you've been doing wrong, and why that could mean a win or loss. Do you hear me?"

The girl merely nodded.

Sirius's shoulders sagged a bit. "Hey, just make sure it's seventeen inches. No more, no less. Deal?"

The Ravenclaw nodded again and trudged her way back to the castle. The D.A.D.A. professor grimaced, but turned and continued down the green in Ginny's direction. The redhead hid behind the oak again and waited, expecting him to come over and bug her. She gave it a minute, but Sirius wasn't stopping at the tree. In fact, he was passing it. _Eh,_ Ginny pondered with a shrug, _maybe he didn't see me._ She returned her attention to her homework, but found that she could no longer concentrate. Sirius was ahead of her, his cloak billowing out a bit from him, his hair caught in the mild breeze; damn, he was so sexy. The witch's fingers gripped her quill so tightly it almost broke, they wanted to wind themselves in his smoky tendrils of hair so badly. Ginny looked around; other students were out on the grass, too –many of them couples. Some were snuggling, some were simply holding hands. She frowned. She wanted to hold his hand, too…

Acting on an impulse more than her right mind, Ginny gathered her parchment, quill, and ink –she had finished the muffin –and stood. Then she called out in an innocent manner ( quite un-Ginny-like): "Professor Black! Professor!!" And sped after him.

Sirius's face was priceless when Ginny reached him. "How did I suddenly become 'Professor Black' with you?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and nodded in the direction of witnesses –I mean, students. "Do you think you could help me with my homework?" she asked.

He actually looked at her essay. "What-? This is for Care for-" Sirius bit his tongue when Ginny's foot rammed down on his.

She glared at him and mouthed, 'keep moving.' The redhead followed him as he sulked further down the path to Charlie's hut. When they were a good distance away, Ginny sighed. "You're not very good at reading the obvious, are you?"

"What do you mean, 'obvious'? How was I supposed to know you weren't actually working on one of my assignments?!" he asked incredulously.

"Because you didn't give us one, you dolt."

Sirius sobered up. "Oh. Heh. Quite right, you are."

"So what do you need from Charlie?" Ginny inquired.

"Minerva asked me to give him something. I also figured I could ask him for some tips on handling your classmates," Sirius said with a chuckle. "Oh, that reminds me. She had something for you, as well." He withdrew a roll of parchment and passed it to her. "Aren't you going to look at it?" he asked when Ginny simply tucked it into her pocket.

She shook her head. "Nah. I'll read it later." There was a quiet moment between the two and Ginny looked away, uncomfortable. Sirius's face was also distorted with an uncomfortable blush across his cheeks. "Hey, Sirius? Can I hold your hand?"

"Do you want to get caught?" As soon as it had left his mouth, he wanted to take it back. Of course he wanted her to, but he also didn't want her suddenly kicked out of Hogwarts or be the topic for gossip. She had had a hard enough time as it was…

"Well, we can fix it that way my hand is hidden beneath your sleeve." Ginny's eyes lit u and she turned to him, her face pleading. "I'll walk a little ahead of you, that way if anyone up the hill near the castle sees us, we won't appear to be touching at all."

Sirius smiled; he didn't need to hear anymore. "You know what? Screw whoever sees." He reached forward and took her hand, and they walked side-by-side, deciding not to go to Charlie's at once, but spend some extra time together hidden in the safe cover of the Forbidden Forest's shadows. His small, yet intimate gesture made Ginny's heart beat faster, but it also greatly relaxed her. It was something she was bound to remember for the rest of her life.

------------------------------------- - 3

Things were like that for Ginny and Sirius during the following week, too, where the y would have their little 'moments' (but were careful not to push it) and would meet in the Room of Requirement when the opportunity allowed it. It was one such night in the Room of Requirement when Ginny was working on homework for Herbology and Divination and Sirius was reading a book that a question nagged Ginny to no extent. The end of this week, students and staff would be leaving for Christmas break and Ginny _knew_ she'd be expected to visit home; she wondered if anyone had noticed she'd taken nearly all of her belonging from her room yet… The witch shook her head and returned her mind to the matter at hand. "What are you doing for Christmas, Sirius?"

The sound of her voice surprised him, as they had only been relaxing in each other's presence. "Well, I'm going home for the break. There _is_ Christmas Eve, where I've been invited to your folks' house for a bash, and I was thinking of going." He smiled. "Guess I'll see you there."

On the other hand, Ginny frowned. "Actually, I don't want to spend my break at the Burrow. I was wondering…could I stay at Grimmauld Place? With you?"

Sirius's eyes widened, but then he thought about it. "I'm not sure… I mean, your parents just might have a heart-attack if you disappear, Ginny."

"Oh, I've thought of an alibi. I'll just get you to say I'm staying at the school." Her eyes were big and sparkling and reminded him of when he'd turn into a dog to get something from James or Remus. "Please?"

"Well, I know Charlie, Remus, and Neville will be at the party. I'm vaguely sure Charlie's staying at the Burrow, and I know for a fact that Remus and Neville will be going back to their homes afterward, so that takes care of the people to tell you're staying here."

Ginny clapped her hands together in triumph. "That's perfect!! Dumbledore and McGonagall usually assume that the kids go home anyway, so that takes care of them, as well. Besides, I don't think those two would worry that much about me. I'm eighteen, can do magic legally, and can take care of myself." Speaking of the deputy headmistress reminded Ginny of the note she had never looked at. She searched her rucksack, sure she had tossed it in there after getting back from her stroll with Sirius last week… Her fingers closed around the flattened roll of parchment and she retrieved it, tearing the ribbon off it and skimming it over. Her face drained of all color.

Sirius saw her mood abruptly darken. "What's wrong? Wait. Isn't that the note from Minerva? Why didn't you read it? That's from last week, Ginny!"

But she remained pale as she turned to look at Sirius. "Sh-She's put me back on the Quidditch team, and my first practice with the others was three days ago."

He knew immediately what she was getting at. Of course, being Sirius, he just whistled and picked up again. "I wouldn't want to be you right now," he said nonchalantly.

Neither did she.

----------------------------------- - 3

Get the Blossom? It's the little things that count, you know. Besides, Sirius is just so fucking cool. :)

Since the previous two chapters were a little long, I wanted this one to be a tad on the short side. BUT! A heads-up: ch12 is going to be the background chapter for Minerva and Albus, as I've had a haggling request to explain Albus's comeback since this story uses a lot of what had already happened in the books up to HBP, so it'll definitely be long. PLEASE READ (& REVIEW) IT!

Before I go, I have one last request: PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT MY OTHER HARIPO STORIES!!! Trifecta is brand-new and POOF! needs some love. Also REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki

P.S. –is it just me, or Ginny really good at thinking up plans from beginning to end, even considering any variables? Hmmm………………………….. :)


	12. 12th Telling 2nd Blossom

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!

P.P.P.S. This chapter is the Minerva and Albus chapter. Enjoy.

-------------------------------- - 3

The Second Blossom (& the Twelfth Telling)

"You are not Seeker, so I thought this would suit you just fine," Minerva McGonagall said heatedly to Ginny the next morning as the student body was bustling about, some leaving, many waving good-bye to friends.

Ginny fought to keep from smacking her head; instead, she closed her eyes for a minute. "I know you really liked me being our team's Chaser, but I don't have the time, professor."

"You have near perfect grades in all your classes, Miss Weasley. Just what excuse can you come up with?"

The redhead didn't waver. "I'm studying for my N.E.W.T.s."

"Do you _really_ need all of that extra time for studying?" McGonagall squinted at her, raising one eyebrow.

"Honest."

With some reluctance, McGonagall gave. "Fine. I believe you. But you better be ready for practice when you get back from vacation." She turned and glared at several students, scaring them away.

Ginny grinned and mock-saluted the Transfiguration professor's back. "Yes, ma'am." And then she, too, left.

-------------------------------------------- - 3

A few minutes later, Ginny was with Sirius in his office, glaring at him. "It's not funny," she spat. "She had me cornered, you know."

Sirius had to hold the back of his chair to keep from collapsing on the floor laughing. "Sorry…sorry, love," he said; Ginny noted the small endearment, but kept her brow furrowed. "Look, I just find it funny how you handled Minerva."

"But I wasn't lying," Ginny said pointedly. "I _have_ been studying, but I've been hanging out with you at the same time." The redhead shrugged. "I only gave her half the truth."

"Well, either way, you're back on the Quidditch team, Ginny. Hey, at least you'll be getting out a bit." He glanced at his office. "All right. I've got my things for the holiday."

Ginny nodded. "Good. My things are packed, too."

"Oh. You're going home?"

"No. I'm staying with you for break."

"Er…," Sirius spluttered. "Did I agree to that?"

"Maybe not verbally, but I'm coming with if you know what's good for you," she pushed.

The wizard averted his eyes. "'Course…" He cleared his throat. "So did you tell her what you were really studying?"

Ginny blinked. "What's that?"

"My butt."

"Get a hold of yourself," she grumbled.

Sirius feigned disappointment. "But you were looking at it a second ago. I swear it! Not that I blame you. It is a great butt," he bantered as they headed toward the Gryffindor dormitories (as much he had _tried_ to do the right thing by telling her to stay at school or go home, the wrong thing had felt so much better).

'Oh, yes,' Ginny mouthed to him as she stepped through the portrait hole to get her things. 'Nice arse, you arse.'

The wizard shook his head. The power she had on him…(he blames almost entirely on the author here). He looked up when Ginny returned, carrying a bulging suitcase. Sirius smiled. "That all?"

Ginny smiled back. "I reckon I've given you a hard enough time this morning, so I'll carry it." She flicked her wand and the suitcase floated a few inches above the floor, trailing behind them.

When they reached Sirius's office once more, both quickly slipped inside. "Okay," Sirius began, "I'm going to send our stuff to Grimmauld Place to begin with. Usually the teachers leave some other way, but I think we should use the Floo network since there's the two of us."

The redhead deliberated for a moment. "But the only working fireplace is in Dumbledore's office," she stated.

Sirius smiled. "Ah, not so –anymore, that is. Minerva was added this year with all of the new additions coming into their first year. We'll just sneak into her office. She's left her fireplace open 'til-" He glanced at his watch. "-one o'clock. Good. Wait –what time is it?" He looked at his watch again. "SHIT! It's ten of!" The wizard grabbed Ginny's hand and they scurried down the corridor as quietly as possible to the deputy headmistress's office. They paused to watch for any other people and, seeing no one, rounded the corner and-

_Tap, tap, tap._ The soft clack of heels on the hard floor caught Sirius and Ginny off-guard. Sirius quickly turned, grinned half-heartedly at Ginny, and cast a Concealment Charm on her.

"Black? What are you doing here?" McGonagall's voice sounded taut as a piano wire.

He faced her, still keeping Ginny behind his back even _with_ the Charm in effect. "Just passing by," he said.

McGonagall scrutinized him with her eyes and then passed him. "Do as you will…" The headmistress sauntered down the hallway and disappeared again.

"I guess she's going to go talk to Dumbledore," Ginny commented as she and Sirius drifted into McGonagall's office. "She seemed really stressed…"

"Probably just the students wearing her nerves thin. Come on, let's go!" Sirius pushed her into the fireplace, grabbed some Floo powder, and dropped it around them, calling out, "_Twelve Grimmauld Place!_" They left just as McGonagall was entering her office for the umpteenth time that day.

Minerva McGonagall sighed. "So that's how it is. Albus…"

--------------------------------------- - 3

Minerva's memory

_"Really, you should eat something, Minerva," Filius Flitwick squeaked with a frown. "You look so peaky."_

_The witch shook her head. "I'm just not hungry, Filius. There's too much to do. Now that You-Know-Who is gone, parents are flooding our school with students." She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in discomfort to keep from crying. "I just thought he would come back and move things along like always…"_

_The goblin patted Minerva's arm. "There, there, dear. How were we to know that he wouldn't –wouldn't return?" Flitwick peered up at her. "…Minerva?"_

_Minerva gathered herself together and straightened her back. "I'm fine, Filius. I must get back to work."_

_Flitwick nodded and hustled to the door, closing it silently behind him. Minerva listened to the pitter-patter of his feet in the hall until she couldn't hear them anymore. Then she turned to the tri-angled mirror in her office. She looked in the glass and saw her own sad eyes staring back at her in the reflection; she frowned and shuddered, swallowing her sobs. Memories of Albus Dumbledore pulling out his memories and lowering into his pensieve brought tears to Minerva's eyes again. As one hot tear began to roll down her cheek, she abruptly jumped back into reality. _Not now_, she scolded herself. _There's paperwork to be done.

_The professor turned back around and gasped inwardly. Before her was a pearl-white version of Fawkes, but she knew that it wasn't really Fawkes. It was, however, a certain Animagus she knew all too well…_

_The white phoenix burst into silver flames and out stepped the dusty-haired, bespectacled form of Albus Dumbledore. He looked straight at Minerva and smiled, the wrinkles near his eyes grinning as well. "Good evening, Minerva."_

_She thought her heart had stopped. Surely, this couldn't be real –could it? Minerva stepped forward and touched the hem of his sleeve; it wasn't a dream. He wasn't a figment of her imagination. She could feel the individual threads of his sleeve and his fingertips were warm on her arm as he pulled her toward him. The embrace was overwhelming and Minerva thought that her heart might explode if he let go._

_Albus rested his chin on her head and inhaled her scent, not entirely in reality just like her at the moment. "I'm not sure what to say next, you know," he said with a chuckle in his throat. "Maybe 'how have you been' is the most appropriate choice right now." The wizard pulled apart from her by half an arm's length so as to look her in the eye. "How have you been, Minerva?"_

_His warm smile was so comforting that Minerva felt it hard to fight the tears prickling the backs of her eyes. But her actual position sobered her up. She pulled her eyebrows together and glowered at him. "Where the hell have you been." It was more demand than actual question, and the flatness of her tone was more affective than heat would've been._

_He chuckled, nonetheless. "Recuperating, my dear. I take it much has changed, no?_

_"Of course it has! We had children fighting You-Know-Who, Albus! Do you know how much Arthur and Molly Weasley lost?! Half their family! We lost Kingsley and Dawlish, Mad-Eye has a mechanical arm to match his leg, Hagrid was almost _crippled_, and you're just standing here _chuckling?!!!_"_

_His blue eyes displayed his disappointment and he grimaced. "I feel for every loss, Minerva. You know that I do."_

_She felt her fury begin to ebb. "I-I just don't understand why you thought it was necessary to leave. We could've used the extra power, Albus. Then maybe we wouldn't have lost much…"_

_Albus pulled her into another embrace. "But where would Harry have found the strength to fight? He relied too much on me, Minerva. He had to grow up."_

_"So it was just a ruse?" She flared her nostrils and glared at him again. "You could have at least told me where you were going, what you were planning on doing. Do you know what you _put_ me through?!"_

_"I am very sorry, but I couldn't have told you. If I had, you would have been in even greater jeopardy, and I would not risk that." He held his index finger to stop her protest. "We both know very well that you wouldn't have stopped thinking about the information. I know I couldn't if our positions were reversed."_

_Minerva's eyes were glassy as she shut her mouth. Yes, she probably wouldn't have been able to stop thinking about him. She loved him too much._

_He seemed to sense her last thought and smiled. "I wouldn't have been able to keep my mind off of you either," he amended. And then he kissed her._

_The scene in McGonagall's mind faded to her earlier conversation with Albus from a few minutes ago. She had been thinking about Albus's return months ago all day long again. It was still confusing as to when Albus when actually transformed into a phoenix and Minerva cursed herself for not realizing sooner. As he had said…_

_"I'm sorry?" he had replied when she had confronted him mere moments ago._

_Minerva had rolled her eyes. "When _exactly _did you escape? I mean, if you were in your animagus form this whole time, then when did you get the chance to escape? You also appeared to be in that marble coffin, as I correctly remember."_

_A smile creased his lips. "Does not an old man get to keep a few secrets?"_

_"No!"_

_He playfully sighed. "All right, then." Albus stood and moved out around his desk to Minerva. "To tell you the truth, I played dead until the funeral."_

_Minerva's eyes widened. "What?! You mean –what we thought was your corpse –was indeed you, not some enchanted item or being meant to resemble you?"_

_"I know, I know, that was cruel of me, my dear. The switch happened when Fawkes flew over the casket. I didn't trade places with him, though. I merely hitched a ride with him when he turned the casket into that brilliant white marble. You see, when the flames engulfed the casket, everyone was too busy noticing what had happened to my coffin and no one bothered to look at the faint light coming out of the casket and hiding in Fawkes's tail flames." Albus's smile remained glued to his face. "And that is when I escaped."_

_Minerva looked at him as if he was a mad man. "Where did you go after that?"_

_"Let's just say my back had a hard time with the transition from phoenix to man, shall we?" He had then moved back to his desk and carried on with his work, leaving Minerva to mull over the information while on her way back to her office. She had just opened the door as another student left in her fireplace to head home. And then she had sighed. What was a haggard old witch to do…?_

end Minerva's memory

------------------------------------------- - 3

Okies… I'm _really_ lazy right about now, so I'll just finish this chapter here. I don't think it would be good to jump back to Ginrius in this same chapter, so I'll leave that for the third blossom. PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO IT!

Oh, and I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been WAY too busy. Ugh…

BTW: What did u think of the Dumbley-dore theory? It's one of many, but I haven't even begun to list all my possible theories (as long as u toss out DH). Read my other Haripo fics for the other theories, K? AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW, PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thankx!

-mew-tsubaki


	13. 13th Telling 3rd Blossom

To the Future

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!

-- -3

The Third Blossom (& the Thirteenth Telling)

A plume of sickly green smoke filled the house and the two travelers' lungs. The residence's house-elf…met them at the fireplace and watched as they stepped over the hearth. Come on; get real. There's no way in _hell_ Kreacher would "greet" anyone or help anyone –least of all our beloved Sirius (mt: ah, screw it –_my_ beloved Sirius).

"Goddamn elf," Sirius muttered under his breath as he led Ginny into the kitchen.

Ginny smudged the dirt on her cheek with her thumb and shrugged. "Eh, I missed the Floo network."

Sirius raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"

"No, of course not. Who would miss the feeling of dirt being thrown in your face?"

"Eh-heh, yes…" Sirius looked around the house for a moment. It still felt strange to him whenever he came here, even if he had been living here again since a few years ago. He wondered if he would _ever_ be used to this house…

Ginny yanked on his sleeve. "You don't happen to have any food, do you?" she asked.

"Um, try looking in the cupboards. I'm not sure what Kreacher's stocked us with, so we may have to get some things while we're here." Sirius wandered into the sitting room and sat down. How could it have been only a little while ago when the redhead in his kitchen had despised him so much, possibly even more than Voldemort? The wizard shook his head as he felt a migraine approaching…

"_EEEEEEK!!_"

Sirius jolted from the sound from the kitchen and ran to see what was happening. "Ginny? Are you all right? What's wrong?"

She angrily pointed at the cupboard underneath the kitchen sink. "_THAT_ is not _FOOD!_"

He followed her finger and saw some large, unidentifiable, _dead_ rodent rotting into the wood. "Ooh, that doesn't show much promise for any other surprises that Kreacher may have left elsewhere."

"No. Y'think?!" Ginny pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Do me a favor and sweep the rest of the kitchen for presents…"

Sirius stifled a chuckle and put an arm around her shoulders, leading her upstairs. "Why don't we get you settled upstairs first, hm?"

She reddened, just realizing how forceful she had been in coming here. When they stopped outside the door to the room she'd be using, Ginny leaned her head against his back. "Thanks," she mumbled and, keeping her head down, went into the room without another word, closing the door behind her.

He quietly whistled under his breath, a faint blush materializing under his whiskers as he went back downstairs and into the kitchen. _Sometimes,_ he thought in a daze, _she's just…_ Sirius smiled. _Perfect._

-- -3

It was several hours later when Sirius gave the 'all clear' for the entire house. The results of his 'treasure hunt' had turned up: one rodent-thingy, three…_ripe_ avians, a half-eaten Blast-Ended Skrewt, and a dismantled Pygmy Puff. He made sure that the Pygmy Puff was buried at the bottom of his pile, as he had no idea how Ginny would react to seeing one of Arnold's relatives strewn across the four corners of a plate.

Ginny came downstairs. "Merlin's _beard! What_ is that awful stench?!"

Sirius scratched his head nervously. "Kreacher's leftovers, it seems."

"Don't you ever clean up this place?" she asked as her nose lead her around the rooms.

"Well, being a bachelor and having little company impacts my housework habits, yes, but-"

"Being a bachelor means you always have to be prepared for the best, you moron." Ginny blinked when she realized what she had said, then blushed. "Oh, crap…"

Sirius smiled and coughed. "The best, eh? Why, I don't know what the best is, dear. Care to elaborate so I can be prepared for it?"

"Y-You know what I mean! I don't have to go into details for you!!"

"But do you mean the best as in I might finally have company over, or best as in I might find a better house-elf than Kreacher, or…"

"AGH!! Knock it off!!" And with one slug to the arm, Ginny had won. "Serves you right."

"Ergh, dammit… Not so fast!" Sirius yanked Ginny to him and went in for a kiss, biting her lower lip. He pulled away before she could ask for more. "I think _I_ finally won, love." Judging by the shock registering on her face, he had.

-- -3

It would be nighttime soon, but the hours had flown by as Sirius tidied up the rest of the place and Ginny had spent her time unpacking a few things and working on a few class assignments. As Ginny hadn't come down for the rest of the day, Sirius went upstairs and knocked on her door. "Ginny? I was thinking I would go pick up some food. Do you want to come with me or should I bring something back for us to eat here?" Sirius waited for a response. _Either way, I'll need to find a chance to pick up that thing for her…_ As no response had come, he cautiously cracked the door open and saw that she was working on her Divination sketches, listening to her music with her –damn, what were those bloody muggle contraptions called? –CD player. Deciding to leave her alone, Sirius closed her door quietly and made his way downstairs and outside.

He first few stops were to get food to restock the house with. After all, they couldn't just not eat, and they sure as hell weren't going to pester Kreacher to share with them. Sirius groaned a bit with the weight of the bags, but was glad to have done the muggle shopping first. Once he found a quiet alley from which he Apparated to Diagon Alley, he took his purchases and stuff them into the pocket of his coat that had an Expanding Charm on it.

The wizard looked around and felt a bit better; being trapped around machines instead of magic was not his idea of a pleasant evening. But now that magic was back in the air he was breathing, Sirius let the season capture him. After all, it was a holiday. Best not to hold onto misgivings and bad feelings.

Sirius waded through the crowd and saw a trinket shop. He stopped to peer through the window. _Maybe the old man sold it already…,_ he forlornly thought. Just at that moment, though, the shop's door opened, and the proprietor squinted through his glasses. "Is that you, Sirius?"

The Animagus looked up and smiled. "The one and only." He walked over and gave the owner a hearty hug. "How have you been, Thurran?"

"Fine, fine… Have you spoken with Phinneas Nigellus recently?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, but I'll be sure to tell him you said hi when I return to Hogwarts."

Thurran nodded as the two men went back into the store. "I was quite surprised to receive a letter from you on the leg of one of the school's owls. Who'd ever thought you'd have the grades to teach there one day?"

"I think it's the hands-on experience that counts," Sirius retorted unhappily.

Thurran laughed. "Now, now, don't take it as an attack, Black. You understood me."

The gray-eyed wizard rolled his eyes (damn, now even Ginny's habits were reaching him) and brushed it off. "Do you still have the item I asked you about?"

"One left," Thurran answered. "I reserved it just for you. I hadn't ordered many to begin with, but the others just sold out. Makes me wonder if people are putting thought back into their loved ones' gifts."

"Yes…"

"So I'll meet the recipient some day, right?" Thurran asked after plopping a large, gift-wrapped box down on the counter. "She must be pretty for you to have put so much thought in, yourself."

Sirius pursed his lips and pulled hit wallet out. "How much?"

"Sixty-four galleons, seventy sickles, and five knuts."

The wizard could feel the weight of his wallet significantly lessen as he paid for the present.

Thurran only smiled as he waved Sirius out of the store. "Happy Christmas, young Mr. Black."

"Y-yeah… Happy Christmas…"

-- -3

"Are you sure you really don't want to come to the Burrow?" he asked for the umpteenth time the following night.

"Yes!!" Ginny answered again. "Are you completely daft?! If I tag along with you, then everything's out of the bag. Sirius, think!!"

"I know, but still… It's your family. Doesn't it feel wrong to not join them for Christmas?"

Without another word, Ginny shoved him out the front door. "If you don't get going, you'll be later than you usually are, and what excuse will you have then, hmm?" Sirius took his wand out and was about twirl on the spot when she grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him down for a kiss. "Don't have too much fun."

"Can't without you there, dear." There was a POP! and he could see the Burrow ahead of him. Then he remembered he had to keep up his guard in front of the others. "No, seriously. I really can't."

When he reached the front door, he moved to knock when the door swung open. "Sirius, dear!!" A different bushel of red hair choked him as Mrs. Weasley embraced him. "We were all just wondering where you were!"

Sirius half-heartedly grinned. _Nothing like feeling like a kid again and guilty all in one whoosh,_ he thought. He spied Remus and Tonks near the fire and walked over to them. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head at the sight of Tonks. "Bloody-! It's been three months, but you've grown, haven't you?"

Tonks was merrily pink –with the hair to match. She wrapped her arms around her bulging stomach. "If you ask me, I think we should be expecting twins."

Sirius saw Remus go pale at the prospect. "Look, we don't know that for sure-"

"He's just scared that they'll both end up like me," Tonks told Sirius. "I don't know why that should bother you," she said to Remus. "After all, you love me lots. I'm sure you can spare the twins a bit of that."

"It's not twins!!" Remus tried to assure himself.

"What's this about twins?" George asked from Remus' left.

"There's nothing wrong with twins," Fred commented from the werewolf's right.

The twins slung an arm around each other. "Just look how adorable us turned out!!" they said in unison.

A smile quirked Sirius' lips. "Look on the bright side, Mooney: They could spend way too much time with their Uncles Fred and George."

Remus did the impossible: The poor haggard teacher turned a paler shade of white. Everyone laughed.

At that moment, Sirius saw a quibble rise up, and he removed himself from his best friend and his wife. As he drew closer, he should've figured.

"I could've said 'good riddance' to the lot of you, but then the Weasley girl returned. Now she's the latest thorn in my side," Snape spat. Sirius glared at Snape.

Harry was glaring at the Potions master, as well. "If you don't like us, then why bother coming to our Christmas party, _Severus_?"

Sirius watched as Snape seemed to choke on his butterbeer, but the greasy bat only sauntered off. Sirius took this opportunity to tap Harry's shoulder and hug his godson. "It's good to see you, Sirius," Harry said.

Normally, Sirius would've locked eyes with those green orbs behind the glasses, but now he didn't quite feel like doing so with all that Harry had put Ginny through. "I'm glad to be seen," was all Sirius replied.

Hermione, who had been holding Harry's hand, suddenly raised her left hand. "Oh, Sirius, we didn't tell you! Well, you must've heard."

The garnet surrounded by diamonds set in yellow gold reminded him only of the crumpled and broken Ginny he had comforted nearly two months ago. "Yes, I had." But what else could he say? 'Good for you'? 'Congratulations'? Nothing seemed right. With the disappearance of Ron, it finally hit Sirius full force just how much else Ginny had lost.

Harry and Hermione looked expectantly at him, so he finally decided on the over-used 'congrats'. Hermione beamed. "I can't wait! We were thinking that maybe we'd hold off until Ginny's finished that way she can be my maid of honor. Oh, I do hope she'd write back soon."

"She's busy." _That_ earned him peculiar looks. "I mean, she must be busy. You know, N.E.W.T.s and all."

Harry nodded, but Hermione eyed him skeptically. Just then, the greasy bat returned and bumped into Hermione, who –Sirius noticed with disbelief – turned cerise and hid her face from the others behind Harry's shoulder and her hair.

_What the hell was that?_ Sirius didn't feel it was appropriate to ask Hermione about it, and wouldn't get the chance anyway as he found out why the bat was fluttering about.

"Just one picture!!" Molly teased. "Come on, Severus! You, Remus, Sirius-! It'll be just like old days!!"

"Are you daft, woman?" Snape stated. "Why would I want to be in a picture with those two bumbling Marauders?"

Remus smiled. "How about we make it a teacher photo? Neville and Charlie can be in it, too."

"We're not _all_ that bad, Snivellus," Sirius commented. "I'll try not to bite."

"You stay the bloody hell away from me, you mutt." Snape kept backing up, but Remus nodded to Sirius and the two of them caught the other one.

"That reminds me," Molly thought aloud. "Where is Charlie?"

"He'll be here," Arthur told his wife. "We can always take another picture later."

"I don't think I'm too keen on pictures," Neville piped up. "Maybe you should just take another with the four of you when Charlie gets here."

"They say that strange creatures live in the flashbulb of cameras," Luna quipped.

Remus' features lightened up in an amusing way. "Yes, yes, Luna, dear, that may be the case," he said, ushering her out of the picture while Sirius held onto Snape. "But maybe you can enlighten us later with that theory."

Sirius blinked. What it just him, or had Remus called Luna 'dear'? And what was with the way Luna shied away from Neville, towards Remus? What the fuck was going on?

As his best mate walked back for the photo, Sirius looked around the room for Tonks, and found her looking out the window away from them, her hair duller and darker than her terrible mousy brown. Concerned, he looked for Neville, who, too, was looking to be at his most miserable ever. _What in Merlin's Beard-?!_

"Say-" Molly began.

"-'Dungbombs!'" the twins interrupted.

Sirius and Remus smiled at the joke, but Severus sneered as the flash went off, and out flew the picture. Padfoot gawked at it, and could've sworn he saw Remus glance at Luna before commenting, "I'm rather photogenic, aren't I?"

"Bloody 'ell!" Sirius exclaimed. "I look like I haven't got a neck! I'm chucking this shirt…"

"…Why am _I_ in this picture?" came Snape's sniveling.

"We thought you'd be the next James, obviously, dear Snivellus."

"Look you little-"

Remus stepped in between them. "Calm down, Severus. Sirius was only joking. Right, Sirius?"

He couldn't help put prod Mooney, too. "Absolutely, 'Mum'!"

His best mate narrowed his eyes. "Watch it or I'll strangle you myself," he said through gritted teeth.

Severus walked away. "Note to self: Strangle Dumbledore," he murmured to himself, "at beginning of new term for hiring these two nitwits."

With the bat sulking in one corner of the room and Remus off –_to find Luna, probably,_ he thought with a sullen glance towards his pregnant relative –Sirius faded into the background a bit, taking the picture with him. He turned it over and scrawled something on the back, and then sent it flying to Ginny with a flick of his wand. He turned back to the others, observing them: Tonks miserably alone by the cold window; Neville miserably sitting alone in a loveseat; Hermione –red- clinging to Harry and staying on the opposite side of the room from Snape; the twins conversing with each other, their loves, and Luna and Remus, who were standing much too close to each other than they should have been. Sirius managed to catch Lupin's eye, and Remus merely lowered his eyes to Luna. Something was definitely going on.

Just as Sirius had made up his mind to pull Remus aside to have a little 'chat', Molly and Arthur burst into the room with Charlie and – "Damn, she's gorgeous," he commented under his breath. Sirius smiled. _But she doesn't quite have anything on Ginny. No one ever will._

-- -3

_POP!_

"AACK!!" Ginny had been asleep atop her homework when a loud noise awoke her. She rubbed the grogginess from her eyes to find a picture float down in front of her. Sirius and Remus were in the foreground with Snape sneering in the background. Ginny tried not to laugh, but couldn't help but think that Sirius looked like a turtle the way his shirt made him lose the appearance of a neck. She turned it over and burst out laughing. It read:

_A greasy dingbat, a washed-out wash rag, and a sexy turtle. I need a new wardrobe. Love, Sirius_

Apparently, he had been thinking the same thing. Hey, great minds think alike.

The redhead read the last two words again and released a content, girlish sigh. Merlin, how could any of this be real? It felt like some strange dream-come-true…but dreams could shatter at any moment. She knew they couldn't keep it quiet after the school year, but what would she do next? Where would she go? Would she really always be able to stay with him, or would she be subjected to the whims of her family once more after being stolen from his side?

Ginny looked at the picture again and half-heartedly smiled. Things were okay for now, so she should just keep dreaming about the future. Besides, now she knew what to get –rather, _make_ him for Christmas. She left her room and quietly crept downstairs. "Kreacher, do we have any yarn?"

-- -3

As the night dragged on, Sirius knew the party would be wrapping up soon, for Molly and Arthur would want to hide things under the tree. Hopefully, the tree would be in a decent enough mood to return the gifts later in the morning.

Finally, it was time to leave, and Molly and Arthur stood with Charlie and his mate, Laurel, to see the others off. Snape was the first to exit the door, bumping Hermione's arm once more before sauntering off. But, if Sirius didn't know better, he would've said that it looked as though _Hermione_ had bumped into _Snape_ instead. He frowned as Neville detached himself from Molly's embrace and felt terrible when he saw Tonks _glassy-eyed_ as she squeezed Molly almost more fiercely than the older woman could take. Next out was Luna, who curiously remained in her dreamy state. Sirius followed Remus outside, and he pinched Mooney's arm.

Remus glared at him. ACTUALLY glared at him. "Most likely, it's not what _you're_ thinking."

Sirius felt a vein pulse in his neck. "_And just what is it that I'm thinking?!_" his hissed under his breath so only Remus could hear him. "What was with you and Luna?! _What the hell are you thinking, Lupin?!_"

His friend didn't answer him at first. "Look, I'll talk to you when we get back to the castle. I don't have anything else to say, Sirius."

"Like bloody hell you don't-!!" Sirius gripped Remus' shoulder in what was an obvious sign that he was going to turn his best friend around and punch him, but he had forgot to keep quiet. His last sentence had been quite loud and had drawn the others' attentions. Realizing it was neither the time nor the place, he released Remus and sauntered off until his head had cooled off enough for him to chance Apparition. He didn't even stop to see Remus hang his head in obvious shame.

-- -3

When Sirius returned to Twelve Grimmauld Place, he saw that there was a light on in Ginny's room, but he couldn't talk to her right now. He knew he would slip up and say something about all the different situations, and he wanted Remus' explanations first. _Then_ he would blab to Ginny.

Tired and knowing he'd have to get up in a few hours for actual Christmas Day, Sirius hung his robe up, kicked his shoes off, removed his belt, unbuttoned his shirt –and flopped onto his bed. And so the night was filled with pleasant dreams, steady snoring, and a tapping, muffled noise.

What a pleasant evening, no? :)

-- -3

I feel terrible since I haven't touched this story in a half-year. I didn't know it would be so popular!! So to reward my readers (thank you SOO much for sticking it out with me), this shall be a double-post.

Read on, Ginrius lovers, read on!!

(…and keep your grubby little paws off MY Sirius.)

Plotting how to steal Padfoot from Ginny,

-mew-tsubaki :)


	14. 14th Telling 4th Blossom

To the Future

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!

P.P.P.S. Okey-dokes. I used 2 songs in this chapter: "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White Tees and Hyde's "Season's Call." Please go with me on the translation of "Season's Call." is a godsend for otaku like me, and I'm glad they had a translation in the first place. Heh.

-- -3

The Fourth Blossom (& the Fourteenth Telling, also known as "Hey There Ginevra" lol)

It was a perfect, snow-capped Winter Wonderland outside.

And it was Christmas.

In any other home, families and couples and children would be running to each other and to the Christmas tree. Presents would be unraveling, eggnog would be sipped, and merriment would fill the air.

Snoring filled the air of Twelve Grimmauld Place.

Out of the three entities inhabiting it, only Kreacher the house-elf was awake and busy in the kitchen raiding the cupboard, going through the food Sirius had bought to look for something edible. "Bloody blood traitor…," Kreacher mumbled under his breath. "Can't buy anything decent to eat…"

Meanwhile, Ginny opened her eyes in her room and shrugged the blanket off her shoulders. Immediately, her eyes widened, but she was relieved to see Sirius' present before her. More importantly, she had finished it. _The dark peacock blue will go well with his eyes,_ she told herself as she quickly wrapped it and descended the stairs. A rustling in the kitchen made her pause, and she peeked in to find Kreacher gnawing on something.

"Kreacher, you shouldn't eat that." Ginny trotted into the small kitchen and took the bag of cheese puffs from him. She frowned, though; it _was_ Christmas… She spied a bat fly up the chimney. "Kreacher, do you like bats?"

Against his usual temperament, Kreacher's eyes widened until they were the size of saucers. "Bats have very tasty brains and bellies, miss, and the texture of their wings is wonderful against the teeth. And _their_ teeth-"

Ginny gripped her stomach. "Kreacher, stop! Look, you have permission to catch the bat and munch on it to your heart's content. Happy Christmas, Kreacher." If she wasn't so sure that Kreacher would resume his disdain of her and Sirius later, she would have patted the house-elf on the head. Instead, she watched Kreacher skip –yes, _skip_ –into the living room and scurry up the chimney. No longer had she turned around to begin breakfast then she heard a sickening _CRUNCH_. Ginny cringed, but went on to make eggs and toast anyhow.

Well, it was _supposed_ to be eggs and toast. The toast was fine and the eggs seemed edible, but not distinguishable as eggs. The smell woke Sirius up, however, and Ginny could hear his stomach growling. As she brought his plate out to him in the living room, she saw his boyish grin. "Look at the benefits I'm already reaping," he said as Ginny placed his food on his lap and sat down beside him to eat. "And I haven't even proposed yet."

Ginny, who had been noticing that Sirius had conjured up a tree and decorations most likely when he got home earlier in the morning, nearly choked on her piece of toast at that. "W-_WHAT?!_"

Sirius removed his fingers from his ears after her shriek. "Kidding, kidding…" He finished eating and then took their plates and placed them on the coffee table. "All right. Present time! Gin, you go first."

"No, I think you should go first." Ginny passed him the gift and watched him eagerly open it.

"Wow!" he stated, mouth wide. "This is nice! And soft, too!" He blinked. "But wait… You didn't go out last night while I was out, did you?" Worry creased his brow.

"No, I didn't," she reassured him. "I borrowed some yarn that Kreacher found in the house, and I made it myself." Ginny quickly shut her mouth to keep from mentioning that she had stayed up all night making it, too.

He stared at the turtle neck in disbelief, but seemed to regain his right mind a second later. "Well, open yours now," he said, motioning to the huge thing underneath the tree.

Ginny opened up her gift from Sirius. "A radio?"

Sirius nodded. "This one's special. Figure you might listen to something other than the Weird Sisters with this."

"Hey! The Weird Sisters play a variety of things."

"But you don't listen to anything else, do you?"

She said nothing.

"I win." Sirius smiled at Ginny's blush and changed into the turtleneck from her. "Rather slimming. And I still have a neck."

"Well, you didn't seem to have one in that picture from the Burrow you brought back," Ginny commented. "Now it's okay to chuck out that shirt."

"I was going to chuck it whether I had another shirt or not, you know. I'm allowed to go shirtless in my own home."

"Not while I'm here. Check you hormones at the door, please."

Sirius shook his head while laughing. "Yes, madamoiselle..."

-- -3

Ginny placed her new radio on the nightstand next to her bed and turned it on.

_"All right, this next one's from the States,"_ the emcee spoke. _"It's a hit there and maybe will be in the rest of the world. Here's the Plain White Tees' _"Hey There Delilah"_!"_

Ginny crawled onto her comforter and crossed her legs as she listened to the song's intro. _That's why it's special,_ she observed. _It's an international broadcast._

_"Hey there Delilah,_

_What's it like in New York City?_

_I'm a thousand miles away,_

_But girl tonight you look so pretty._

_Yes you do._

_Time Square can't shine as bright as you,_

_I swear it's true."_

_Oh, hey. There's a record function on it._ She poked the circular button with her index finger.

_"Hey there Delilah,_

_Don't you worry about the distance,_

_I'm right there if you get lonely._

_Give this song another listen._

_Close your eyes._

_Listen to my voice, it's my disguise._

_I'm by your side."_

_I wonder if a distance can be more than just miles. What if a rift came between two lovers?_

_"Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_What you do to me._

_Hey there Delilah,_

_I know times are getting hard,_

_But just believe me girl some day,_

_I'll pay the bills with this guitar._

_We'll have it good._

_We'll have the life we knew we would._

_My word is good."_

Ginny smiled to herself. _So far Sirius's word has been good. Everyone thinks I'm still spending the holiday at school._

_"Hey there Delilah,_

_I've got so much left to say._

_If every simple song I wrote to you_

_Would take your breath away,_

_I'd write it all._

_Even more in love with me you'd fall._

_We'd have it all."_

_I think Sirius would prefer to take my breath away with his kiss, But even after just one kiss, that look in his eye makes me melt in his arms... Maybe I'm in deeper that I realized?_

_"Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_A thousand miles seems pretty far,_

_But they've got planes & trains & cars._

_I'd walk to you if I had no other way._

_Our friends would all make fun of us,_

_And we'll just laugh along because_

_We know that none of them have felt this way."_

The witch blinked back tears. _I _am _in deeper than I realized. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I mean, I would never leave his side even if he begged me to because he was 'protecting' me._ Ginny frowned. _No wonder Harry and I didn't work. I hate taking orders, but Sirius doesn't do that; he sees me as an equal._

_"Delilah, I can promise you,_

_That by the time that we get through,_

_The world will never ever be the same,_

_And you're to blame."_

_Yeah, Sirius might think that, _Ginny thought with a smile.

_"Hey there Delilah, you be good_

_And don't you miss me._

_Two more years and you'll be done with school_

_And I'll be making history,_

_Like I do._

_You'll know it's all because of you._

_We can do whatever we want to."_

Two steady, silent streams of tears climbed their way down Ginny's cheeks. _I wish we could do whatever we want, but once the others find out... It was hell when I was dating other boys and Harry has always been like a part of the family, but Sirius is merely seen as Harry's godfather. He's nearly twice my age. I can see Mum's face now. Dad'll faint and Charlie would try to kill Sirius. It's too late to stop._ Ginny listened as the rest of the song played out:

_"Hey there Delilah, here's to you._

_This one's for you._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_Oh, it's what you do to me._

_What you do to me."_

She stood up and looked out the window. _Sirius is right; I'm not a child. I make my own decisions for me, not for others, and I choose to stay with the love of my life._

-- -3

"Oh, Kreacher, I'll take that up to her," Sirius said. Kreacher had been on his way upstairs to bring Ginny her supper.

Kreacher glared at him. "Just because Kreacher has you as a master again instead of Master Potter doesn't mean your cruelty was forgotten. You've tried to make up for it, but Kreacher still has his eye on you. Here you are, Master," Kreacher said begrudgingly as he shoved the tray into Sirius's arms. The house-elf trudged away grumbling about being stuck with 'that traitor again,' but Sirius ignored it.

The wizard sped up the stairs and stopped outside the door to Ginny's room to catch his breath. _She's been up here all day,_ Sirius noted with a frown. _I hope I haven't done anything..._ He knocked and the door cracked open. His ears caught a bit of music.

_"Rivermaya's _"You'll Be Safe Here" _is somewhat of an oldie in the Philippines, but I like to consider it a classic," _the emcee rang out. _"Anyone ever watch the show it's from, _Spirits_? Boy, that's some dramatic romance. Next up is-"_

Ginny swished her wand over her shoulder and the radio switched to play from the recording portion of it. Sirius saw that she was lying down on her side in her bed, the blanket up over her shoulders, her back to him and her body facing the wall the bed was pushed up against. He decided she was not to be bothered and set her food down on the desk at the opposite wall. Sirius had been about to exit when Ginny stopped him. "This song -_"Season's Call"_ -it's in Japanese, but I cast a Translation spell on it that way I can hear both the original and it's English version. You should listen to it."

He sat down at her desk and listened as the male's voice flooded the room with an ethereal feel:

_"Karamitsuku kazeni sakarai_

_Ushinatta kisetsu wo sagashiteiru_

_Wazuka demo mezasu houkou e_

_Azayaka na kioku ga tsukiugokasu_

_(Defying the whirling wind,_

_I am searching for the lost season._

_Even if it's only a little, it is towards the direction I'm aiming for_

_that vivid memories provoke me.)_

_How many cuts should I repeat?_

_How many fates should I accept?_

_Does it have an end?"_

"Sounds like he has the power to redo everything over, but can't decide if he really wants to change anything at all," Sirius commented; Ginny was quiet.

_"Itsumo karadajuu wo_

_Kimi ga kakemeguri afuresou_

_Dakara kowakunai yo asu mo_

_Because I always feel you in me_

_(Always, throughout my body,_

_you run about & seem to overflow._

_That's why I'm not afraid, even tomorrow,_

_Because I always feel you in me.)"_

_Interesting,_ Sirius pondered. _Maybe I was right?_

_"Kawakikitta nodo e nagashita_

_Kimi no na de kokoro wo uruoshiteiku_

_(Having washed down my dry throat,_

_your name will moisten my heart.)_

_How many cuts should I repeat?_

_How many fates should I accept?_

_Does it have an end?"_

He was getting a little irritated now. _Why am I listening to this drivel?_ Another stanza interrupted his thoughts:

_"Haruka ano tori no you_

_Sora wo tobikoete yuketara_

_Itsumo tsutaetai you ai wo_

_Because I always feel you in me_

_(Like that faraway bird,_

_if only I could go soar across the sky,_

_I'd like to always be able to tell you of my love,_

_Because I always feel you in me.)_

_You taught me how to love_

_I feel I can do anything"_

After the previous two lines spoken by the artist, Sirius was starting to catch on. Ginny probably had something to say to him after the song ended...

_"Yume ni egaku sekai wo_

_Kimi no me no mae ni hirogetai_

_Dakara kowakunai yo asu mo_

_My beloved season calls me_

_Because I always feel you in me_

_In me, in me, I feel…_

_(The world sketched in the dream…_

_I want to unfold it before your eyes._

_That's why I'm not afraid, even tomorrow…_

_My beloved season calls me,_

_Because I always feel you in me._

_In me, in me, I feel…)"_

Sirius bit his lip. _This is good-bye, isn't it?_ He closed his eyes and heavily exhaled. _Had to have known this would've come sooner or later._

"I think you're right about the song, that he possibly doesn't want to change anything at all about his life as it is," Ginny stated. "Would you change anything?"

He picked up his head. Even if this was good-bye, it didn't change how he felt about her. He got up and sat on the edge of her bed, even though she was still facing the wall away from him. "You know, if and when we tell the others, some -maybe most -will think we've sinned." Sirius smiled to himself as he caught sight of the snowflakes outside. "But sins are usually pleasurable, and being with you has given me the utmost pleasure."

There was a moment's silence, then Ginny rolled over and held the hand Sirius was using to lean on the bed. "That was really naff. I mean, does _anyone_ say cheesy stuff like that anymore?"

"Does anyone say 'naff' anymore?" Sirius sniggered.

"Shut up. You still haven't answered my question."

Sirius sighed again, but genuinely smiled. "As long as you were happy, I wouldn't redo things." He faced the window again. "_Are_ you happy?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Ginny replied; Sirius braced himself, and she felt him tense. "I don't really know how this happened, but something inside me just...felt right about us. I still haven't decided what I'm going to do come summer, but I took all my things from the Burrow because I decided I would at least be independent of my parents, even if it was the only thing I could do."

"Well, you aren't a child anymore."

"Don't interrupt!" Ginny squeezed his hand, but it didn't relax; her heart pounded in her ears. "But I've taken a stand on other things, too. I want to be a family again, but-"

Sirius grimaced. "You can't exactly be on good terms with your family with me by your side, can you? I thought so."

"But I want to be a family with you," Ginny finished, completely ignoring his second interjection and his now gaping mouth. "In my book, a family can even be two people in love living together. I want to live here with you after this school year. May I?"

Sirius slid off the edge of her bed in utter surprise.

"Sirius?! Are you all right?!"

The wizard ran a hand through his hair. "Here I was, thinking you were going to dump me. I don't think anyone's ever dumped me, but I was shaking at the thought of losing you. I nearly had a heart-attack!!"

She cupped his cheek with her hand. "But you didn't, did you?" she smiled and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Guess I didn't..." He watched as the window fogged up from the cold outside. "Hey -care for a quickie?"

"You really are a crass horndog."

Sirius smirked. "I'm only a dog when I need to be, but that can change if you want," he teased, sitting back on the bed and brushing the hair away from her face.

Ginny's eyes widened and she crimsoned. "No, thank you. I'm not a furry."

"Yeah, I know. Neither am I. We're a little too sane for that stuff, aren't we?" He bent over her and brushed her lips with his. "Although, I can't help but lose a little bit of my sanity when I'm around you..." He kissed her again.

"Just don't turn into a dog and you may snog -and then some, if I feel like it," Ginny prodded.

"Do you feel like it now?" He held his face above hers in anticipation.

Her blue eyes sparkled, possibly already undressing him in her mind's eye. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She grabbed some of his hair and lowered his mouth over hers for another kiss, and another, and another... Her hands found their way up his shirt and she splayed her fingers on his smooth chest as his daintily dragged down the straps of her nightgown, exposing more of her for him to kiss. Don't worry, though; one of them waved the door shut before things got to be too much for Kreacher's eyes to see. I do feel bad for Kreacher, though. Ginny's supper went cold and no one came down for breakfast the morn after. I wonder why that was...? ;)

-- -3

When Sirius woke up the next morning, his eyes immediately flew open. Had it finally happened? Really –had Ginny made herself entirely his? To double-check, Sirius leaned down and buried his face in her hair. Ink and parchment from her homework. Lemon, from her shampoo or body wash. His scent. Out of all the things, the fact that she now carried his scent meant much to him.

Ginny roused from his subtle movement. She blinked the sand from her eyes and tilted her head back to peer into his eyes, her breasts grazing his chest in the process. It was all either of them could do not to start at it again.

"'Morning," he said, smiling.

His smile was infectious. "Good morning." She stretched and gave him a chaste kiss (mt: ah, yes, a chaste kiss, even though they probably did EVERYTHING in the book and perhaps came up with some new stuff, she kept straight to the lips…AGH!!). "…I'm kinda hungry."

"Me, too."

"For _food_."

"Damn." Sirius stretched his arms and threw his legs over the side of the bed, and groped around for his pants before pulling them on. He passed her nightgown to her. As she pulled it over her head, he commented, "That lilac color looks nice on you."

Ginny paused, pink in the cheeks. "Th-Thanks." She stood and hugged his waist.

He put an arm around her. "Looks better on the floor, though." She bit his shoulder. "OW! I'm just saying!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

And so, our favorite couple spent the rest of the day and evening playing board games, Wizard's chess (on the third try, Ginny finally kicked Sirius' ass), and genuinely just enjoying each other's company. They took every open chance to revel in the closeness of one another, since they would have to return tomorrow. Back to the castle, and back to sneaking around.

-- -3

A little disappointing, I know, since I really pushed the envelope (at least, for me) with chapter nine, but I'm still satisfied with it. I just can't wait to write the next few chapters. Things are going to heat up –both between people and in situations –so stay with me and enjoy the ride. I mean, some things are just falling apart (don't worry –it's intentional)!

Let's continue reading as brand new trouble –and loves? –spring!

-mew-tsubaki


	15. 15th Telling 5th Blossom

To the Future

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!

-- -3

The Fifth Blossom (& the Fifteenth Telling)

When Ginny, Sirius, and everyone else returned to the castle, the atmosphere had turned serious. The fifth and seventh years were beginning to crack down and hit the books with the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s approaching in a few months. One of the first things on the teachers' lists was to prepare the exams and prepare their pupils for them. But one certain Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had something else in mind.

Since the first second Remus had called Luna 'dear', it had bothered Sirius. It might've been different if both of them were single –after all, Sirius had (sort of) pursued Ginny. But Remus was married! And expecting at _least_ one child, if not twins! Sirius loved his best friend dearly, but both Remus and Luna were in the wrong. After all, Luna, too, was mar –Sirius paused in mid-explanation of timing techniques during his class with the seventh years.

_Were_ Luna and Neville married?

The gray-eyed wizard blinked, and continued his lecture as if undisturbed. "Timing can and usually _does_ mean everything," he stated. "Yes, you may be pinned against the wall by your neck, but the grip is likely to tire at some point, and _that_ is your opportunity to reach for your wand and utter a non-verbal spell to help keep the element of surprise. Just keep in mind that your enemy might do the same if your positions are reversed."

A hand shot up. "But what if your enemy kills you right after pinning you?" the Slytherin girl asked.

"It's good that you aren't underestimating your enemy," Sirius replied. "But how often is it that you face someone with hulking muscles who can keep you off the ground for a half hour without tiring? You never know, but generally people are close in weight and build of their enemies, and if your villain is stupid enough to pin you in the first place, then they probably will savor the sight of you suffering, so death could be just far enough away."

"That's a lot of guessing, Professor Black," a male Ravenclaw remarked.

Sirius forced a smile. "Yes, well. Defense against the Dark Arts isn't all action." He tapped the side of his head with his index finger. "It requires some quick thinking on our part. And if we know our different Dark Wizard profiles, then we can most likely stick our enemy into one and quickly come up with a plan and/or an escape route."

There was a gasp, and Sirius watched some dumb blonde Gryffindor girl's brow crinkle. "Are you telling us to _think_ like a criminal?!"

"Inadvertently, yes," he answered. "Which leads me to your next semi-long-term assignment." The class groaned, but he ignored it. "Are any of you avid readers? Or maybe you like to read mysteries or crime stories?"

Ginny's friend, the Hufflepuff, Atherton, raised her hand, but quickly withdrew it when no one else moved. A Slytherin boy –not Selwyn –snickered. "Sounds like something my grandfather does as a pastime." The received laughter wasn't uproarious, but certainly irked Sirius.

So he shot a venomous smile back. "Then you've just taken up your grandfather's favorite pastime." The looks he received were _so_ worth it. "Like I said, this will be your next semi-long-term assignment." The wizard waved his wand and conjured three neat stacks of books on his desk. "Each one of you will receive a mystery or crime novel. Besides reading it, you must take notes of the suspect's or killer's traits, their speech patterns, and techniques. They're all moderately gruesome, but I'm sure you _strapping_ witches and wizards can handle this little gore. As class is almost over, I would ask that you all approach my desk and receive a book. I'll be keeping track of what you get and I've read all of these, so I'll know if anyone just scribbled something out. "As the students filed into the aisles and moved forward, he added, "This assignment shall be due in two weeks' time. If there are any _sensible_ concerns, then I am here to listen during next period."

One by one, the seventh years took a book and gathered their things. The chime of the bell signaled the end of his class, and the students scurried to him to get their assignment and make it to their next class on time. Atherton took hers happily, and Ginny got the last one. She read the title. "'And Then There Were None'?" she dictated.

The Hufflepuff looked over her shoulder and lit up. "Ooh! An Agatha Cristie novel! Did you know, it was originally published as 'Ten Little Indians', but was later changed. Probably because it gives away a little bit."

"Miss Atherton…," Sirius scolded, "I hope you're not going to 'helpfully' chat about the book with Miss Weasley here." He caught a small glare at calling her 'Miss Weasley', and had to force down an exasperated sigh.

Luckily, the Hufflepuff shook her head and raised her book. "Heavens, no! I've been reading Sue Grafton's books, but I haven't been able to get my hands on 'M is for Murder'! I actually wanted to thank you for having it!"

"Better than friggin' 'Lord of the Flies'," Selwyn muttered from behind the two girls, his book pried open. "I've just started, and all they go on about is a friggin' conch!! What the fu-"

"We'll be late!" Ginny yelled at the other two, ushering them out for Potions. Still, even though she was now in a hurry, Ginny hastily threw Sirius a wink over her shoulder before disappearing around the door frame.

Sadly, he was barely comforted by the tiny gesture, as it only brought back to mind the Remus/Luna situation. Sirius grimaced and lazily flicked his wand to tidy his room up. He would need to get Mooney alone at some point –hopefully, today.

For the life of him, Sirius couldn't remember if Remus was teaching a class at the moment, so he left his own classroom and went down a level to peek in. Remus _was_ in fact teaching a group of scared second years how to capture baby banshees, explaining that banshees aren't the type of creature one can just vanquish. Sirius knew Remus sensed his presence, but waited until Remus briefly and begrudgingly made eye contact. Mooney stuck the banshee back in its cage, told the class to open to chapter twenty-seven and start reading it, and quietly shuffled towards the door.

When the two D.A.D.A. teachers were alone in the hall, Sirius squinted at his best friend. "We _could_ talk out here, but who knows who'd hear?" In response, Remus stuck his hands in his pockets. "My office. Now."

Back up the stairs the two Marauders went, passing only by the ghost of the Bloody Baron. After closing the door behind them, Padfoot was ready to explode. "You said you'd tell me back at the castle. Well, we're in the bloody fucking castle."

Remus sighed and sat down in one of the two chairs in front of Sirius' desk, while Sirius plopped himself down in the other and faced Remus. "You seem to be ready and willing to rip my throat out," the haggard one said.

"That's because of what it looks like, you git! Didn't you see how Tonks and Neville were beside themselves in _anguish_?!" He felt as though his energy was finally waning. "Remus, Tonks is your _wife_. Doesn't she mean anything to you?"

The werewolf leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped together to hide his face. "I love her, Sirius, don't get me wrong. But I've never been _in_ love with Nymphadora."

Sirius wasn't sure how he took it. The statement was and was not surprising. Still… "Then why did you marry her?"

"At the time, her feelings for me were infectious, and I thought maybe I could release myself and fall in love with her. But it never happened. I love her like a dear friend, but nothing more."

"But…why is she pregnant then? You both know magic; it couldn't have just been an accident."

"Yes, I know." Remus lifted his head, but kept his folded hands in front of his mouth. "I suspect she knew all along that this was one-sided, and she hoped that maybe getting pregnant could keep us together. Always –_always_ –one of us would work the Charms to prevent something like this from happening. On a night more than three months ago, she told me she had already set them in place. Even though something in her voice caught, I trusted her word, and now I know she lied to me and that she's expecting."

Even with the entirety of the situation, the gray-eyed wizard softened quite a bit. They all knew Tonks well, and she _could_ force her feelings on others, but _this_… This was just too sad. For both of them. In any case, Sirius ushered Remus along. "So where does Luna come into all of this?

Remus drew in a sharp breath, and his cheeks flushed a little. "Dora told me she was pregnant right before Albus approached you and me with our current positions. The following week –before that kind of party at the Burrow before Ginny started her last year –I went to Diagon Alley to stock up on some supplies. I bumped into Neville and Luna on the way, and the three of us shopped together for a bit. Neville had many things to buy, so that left Luna and me standing in the background. We talked about many different things, but we didn't ask about each other's lives." He paused and gazed out the window. "I had never felt so comfortable in my life.

"When I parted from those two that evening, I…felt something. I didn't know what it was, how to describe it, or what it was doing to me. So, I brushed it off." Remus smirked. "How Sirius of me."

"Har, har," the Animagus growled.

"I've had several more occasions to talk to her when she's come to work on a story for the _Quibbler_, and we've grown very comfortable in each other's presence. Unfortunately, I finally came to realize at the end of October that I was feeling myself fall for her."

Sirius shrugged and half-heartedly smiled. "Well, mate, bad timing, but she's obviously something to have gotten _your_ tail wagging." Remus crimsoned and glared at him. "Sorry. I meant, 'to have gotten your heart thumping' –or some other organ doing the same. OW! Don't hit me!" He genuinely smiled this time. "It's good you've found your heart, though, Remus."

"Yes, but remember when I said, 'unfortunately'? The night everyone was busy leaving Hogwarts for Christmas vacation, she had come by to pick up Neville. He was taking too long, so she came to find me. I had my things and I was walking her back downstairs when the staircase moved. She wobbled and fell forward, but the stairs hadn't realigned yet, so if she had truly fallen, she would've been seriously injured or killed."

"But I take it," Sirius interrupted with a wince, "that you're the reason she was safe."

Remus cleared his throat, still red. "Uh, exactly… I dropped my bag and dove for her. The stairs had realigned by the time my back had smashed into the bottom step, and we had clonked foreheads…"

"Oh, Merlin's beard. _You __kissed__ her?!_"

At this point, Remus had regressed from haggard old wizard to bashful, lovesick teenage boy. "It was an accident, I swear it!! I hadn't meant for it to happen! But, I quickly sobered up and went to move when she just held on tighter to me. Of course, then I heard someone step behind us, and there was Neville. I don't know if he saw us kiss, but it was awkward enough with her on top of me. She didn't look at my face as Neville helped her up and she told him I had saved her. Neville wished me a 'Happy Christmas', and then they left." Remus held his head in his hand, shoulders hunched, and sighed. "I hadn't meant for any of this to turn out the way it has. I hadn't even meant to develop feelings for her! Friends, okay; anything more… Merlin…"

Sirius was quiet, and his lips were pursed. "Remus, I've been reading a lot of books lately…"

"That's new."

"Shut up. Besides, I think I have something you might want to hear."

He brightened at the prospect. "What?"

"There's this old French proverb that goes, 'Love is friendship set on fire.'"

"_Silencio!_" Remus stood and glowered at his best mate as Sirius fumbled with the spell. "Do you take _anything_ seriously?!"

"Ha! You wouldn't know just how much of your story I can empathize with!!" Sirius stated. "I'm not as dumb as a troll, you git."

Btu Remus ignored his last comment. "How can _you_ empathize? You're not involved with anyone; you've been busy."

_Hell-OO?!_ Sirius wanted to scream at him. _Doesn't _anyone _realize that Ginny disappears at the same time, around the same _areas_ I do? Rem, are those brains just for looking pretty?!_ Instead, he commented, "Don't you have a class to return to?"

The werewolf looked like he had been hit with a Confounded Charm. He moved to run to the door, but Sirius gripped his shoulder. _Agh! Don't punch me _now_!_

Sirius didn't. "Who knows?" he pondered. "Everything may work out for the best."

Remus was surprised to hear something like that come out of the Animagus' mouth, but he grinned. "Maybe…" He reached the door and turned around as he exited. "Don't go spilling my life's story now!"

"Oh, don't worry! I'm only going to tell G- Peeves!!" Sirius caught himself. Remus vanished around the doorjamb and Padfoot let out a big breath. "That was close…"

"Did someone call Peevesy-Weevesy?" Peeves asked as he floated through the ceiling. "Ah, it's Professor Canine! Here, doggie, doggie… Fetch!"

-- -3

"Oh, so _now_ you show up for practice, Madam Celebrity?"

Ginny fought to keep her hand off her wand and to keep from shooting off a Bat Bogey Hex at the Gryffindor team's captain. But she managed to force a small grin and chuckle. "Yeah, well… N.E.W.T.s, you know. Sorry."

The captain –Raven Crowley, Ginny had learned from Nigel (who, surprisingly, was Seeker) –shook her long blonde hair and ran a finger through it before putting it up in a ponytail. As captain and Keeper for the team, she seemed to be the most vicious by far. Hard to believe this girl had asked Sirius that obvious question –'Are you telling us to _think_ like a criminal?!' "N.E.W.T.s studying is no excuse. You were to have started practicing with us _weeks_ before Christmas! What's your excuse for _that_?!"

At this point, Ginny gritted her teeth and glared at the taller girl. "I didn't know right away! McGonagall hadn't told me!" Which were half-truths, really. Minerva _hadn't_ told her; she had asked Sirius to pass a note about it along to Ginny, and Ginny hadn't immediately read it, so… "Look, it's been a couple of years since I last played, so if I suck, feel free to chuck me out, okay?"

Crowley glowered down at her, obviously jealous that she might be outshone. After all, she had been the only girl on the team before Ginny had come along; now she was probably scared that her iron grip on the boys might be shattered. "Fine. We'll go and give you a test run, but if you screw up, you're out."

Yes, she didn't want to be on the team, but one mistake and –BOOM! Avada Kedavra? As Crowley motioned to them –Ginny, Nigel, Derrov Benton, Mavrick Morris (the Beaters), and Sturgis Reaves (the other Chaser) –they grabbed their brooms and rose into the air, in a formation Ginny realized she once saw Harry and her brothers use before. Of course, that was years ago. Ginny sighed while waiting for practice to start. When did she start feeling old?

At Crowley's signal, Nigel dove for the Snitch and Morris dove with him to smack a Bludger out of the way, but that sent the black ball heading in Reaves' direction, and Reaves barely moved out of the way in time. As if that wasn't enough, Crowley fumbled the Quaffle, which came hurtling down on Nigel's head. Luckily, Nigel had been close to the ground when he fell off his broomstick. Everyone hurriedly landed and rushed to check on the fifth year. Benton helped him up, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief –except for Raven Crowley. "What do you think you're doing?!" she yelled at Nigel.

His brow furrowed. "It came out of nowhere-"

"What if we had to find a new Seeker, hmm?"

"Oh, just shut up, you _bitch_!!" Ginny snarled. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks as all eyes turned to her, but she didn't give a damn. "I've been here twenty minutes, and I can already see that you're trying to lead the Fourth Reich here, Fuehrer Crowley! _You're _the one who dropped the Quaffle! And just _what_ kind of formation was that?! Why were both Beaters so close to the ground? And why did you station the Chasers so high in the field? What were you _thinking_?!" Ginny was panting, but she let Crowley be the first one to break the gaze.

"I'm the captain," was all Crowley could offer. "Let's get back to practice. I want to test your rusted skills, Weasley." She hopped back on her broomstick, as did the others, and pushed off into the air.

"That little cu-" Ginny muttered to herself under her breath.

"Um, Miss Weasley?"

She blinked and turned around. Mavrick was the only other person who hadn't kicked off yet. "You can call me 'Ginny', you know, Morris."

"You can call me 'Mavrick', then." He waited until she had mounted her broom before speaking again, so they could fly together. "About Raven…," he started.

Ginny frowned. "I know I don't quite fit in here, but she has no right to single out a player. She needs to have us working together, not against each other. But that's what it feels like she's doing." She gasped and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to just talk about her like that!"

The black boy half-heartedly smiled. "It's okay. Rave's always been one to anger people. But since she turned away from you and still wants to see you play, it means that she respects you. Not many have earned her respect, so it's obvious you're a fighter. Hang in there, okay? Don't let her get to you, Ginny."

The witch smiled. "You're right. There's no need to give up hope!"

"You're just like how he described you," Mavrick said, somewhat to himself.

"Who?" She was perplexed.

The wizard smiled. "My cousin, Dean Thomas. He really liked you, you know."

Ginny felt like she had flown head-on into the Whomping Willow. What could she say to that? She kinda _had_ used Dean to draw Harry's attention, and then even Harry hadn't worked out, but she had sensed Dean might've known all along. In the end, Ginny only wound up looking embarrassed.

Mavrick seemed to notice her squirming. "Sorry, Ginny… But, you should focus on showing Rave just how tough you are."

"So when will you tell her that you like her?"

"That obvious, huh?" Yet, he didn't turn red at the change of topic; he had accepted his feelings long ago. "Who knows? Maybe if we beat Slytherin in three days. But I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, considering our season so far." He laughed, but Ginny looked him in the eye.

"I'll hold you to it, then," she said, and flew off to the mid-level of the field. When she mentioned to Raven where they could tighten up their defenses, Crowley had waspishly agreed, and they had executed their formation perfectly. They practiced a few more and, with Ginny's veteran eye, had pulled off enough to give them a winning chance against Slytherin. Yet, when heading into the lockers, Ginny was sure Raven had sent her an insidious glare. The redhead wondered if perhaps it was because Mavrick had suddenly become so friendly.

Speaking of friendly, Nigel and Mavrick seemed to be the only warm ones around her. Benton was a bit of a loner, and the fourth year didn't say much, so he just took commands. Reaves and Crowley, though, seemed to hate her. Ginny quickly gave up trying to figure them out, though. _Hey, as long as the team functions well enough together…_

-- -3

After day two of practicing, Ginny took a detour during her break to _finally_ be with Sirius in the Room of Requirement. They hadn't had a chance since before the break, and now it was the week before Valentine's Day. When Ginny plopped herself down on the couch the room had provided this time, she stretched out and rested her head on Sirius's lap. She contently sighed as he stroked her hair.

"There seems to be a lot of stress," Sirius murmured.

Ginny kept her eyes closed as she frowned. "The team's been okay. We might even win against that House of snakes. But the fourth year takes orders as soon as he's given them. It's like Benton's a robot. He'll listen to me, then Crowley, me, Crowley, me, Crowley –I'm surprised we can even still function."

Sirius bent over her and kissed her temple. She rolled backward a bit to see his smiling face. "Hey, they've got you. Even if they don't listen, you're still a lucky charm."

Her brow furrowed. "How am I lucky?"

"Do you really need to ask?" He bent further down until his mouth covered hers, and his whiskers tickled her lips. He paused and breathed. "I've been at my best since you've been mine."

"Is that so?"

Her quirked eyebrow suddenly brought many feelings and urges flooding to the surface, and his mouth covered hers again, their tongues overlapping. Ginny grabbed the front of his robes to half drag him down to her, half hoist herself up. Her cloak fell off her legs and goose bumps dotted her lower thigh at the chilly temperature of the room, but Sirius's hand was soon there to warm her leg back up. She started unbuttoning his shirt when-

_Brriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing._ (mt: damn bell)

"FUCKER!!" Ginny shouted, then her eyes went wide. That had been quite loud…

Sirius laughed as he rearranged his clothes. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing."

She clambered off him and fixed her uniform, frowning. "And just when things were getting good…" She stood there with drooping shoulders, so Sirius came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She tilted her head back and saw he was smiling again; warmth flooded her veins. "Well," she said, facing the door, "gotta get to History of Magic. I have to admit: Nothing's surprising or interesting when you're one of the few who had been there during the Second Great War."

"But I can be both." He brushed the hair behind her ear away and kissed her neck near the small of her ear. He chuckled at the heat rising in her neck and cheeks. "Off you go now, love."

Speechless, she traipsed out of the room and headed for Binns' class. On the way Grant joined her, and his pensive looked jolted her back into reality. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Apparently, he, too, had been off in Wonderland. At the sound of her voice, Grant wiped the grimace from his face and brought up the impending Quidditch match. "I may be a Slytherin, but you can be sure that I'll be cheering you on this Saturday."

"Heh, yeah…"

Miraphina came bounding up the hall at that moment. She said hello to Ginny and kissed Grant's cheek, but that didn't enlighten him as Ginny usually noticed. The squeals and giggles of other female Hogwarts students made Ginny look around her, and she heard many talking animatedly about their love lives.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked her friends.

Grant didn't say anything and detached himself somewhat from the other two as they entered Binns' room. Miraphina answered her. "Oh, they're probably going on and on about Professor Trelawney's little fortunes-telling."

"What makes these ones so different?"

"With Saint Valentine's Day coming up, Trelawney decided to do some love readings for whomever. Remember in class when she said this year's a good one for love?" Ginny nodded; that had been before she and Mira were friends. "Well, she's just been doing it on a whim. It's free, too."

Ginny sent Mira a sly look. "So have you gone yet?"

Mira stuck her nose in the air. "Nope, and I don't plan on it. Grant and I are one-hundred-percent made for each other." She hugged his arm to her. "Right, Grant?"

This time, it was plain enough that both girls saw it. "Hmm…sure," he said with apathy. But before either could ask him anything, class had started. Whatever it was would have to wait.

-- -3

Friday morning was sluggish and a bit of a bust; the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams were both outside practicing, and Sirius wondered when he'd get time alone with Ginny again. _I may have a chance at the trip to Hogsmead if I-_

"Sirius?"

"Damn it!" Sirius blinked and saw that it was Neville who had shoved his train of thought off the tracks. He put his half-eaten apple and lukewarm gillywater down on the table and pushed back his chair to leave. "Sorry, Neville, I need to go."

"I was hoping to have a word with you, though. In private."

The Animagus looked at the Herbology teacher, but Neville didn't meet his eyes. Instead, his eyes darted to where Remus sat on the other end of the staff table. Sirius immediately straightened. "Oh. I see. Uh, well…" He made a gesture with his arm. "Care to join me?"

A brief glimpse of relief swept over Neville's features, and he hastily rose and trotted behind Sirius as they left the Great Hall and strolled outside. There was a light dusting of snow on the grass that crinkled under their feet as they walked. It felt like forever until Neville finally spoke. "HowwasyourChristmas?"

Sirius was surprised that he even understood what had come out of the boy's mouth, considering Neville had said it so quickly that it had come out as one word. "Nothing much. We had fun and Kreacher treated us-" He nearly choked on his words. _Not again!_

"'We'?" Neville repeated.

"I, uh, had company over," Sirius stated, which _was_ true.

Neville forced a small smile. "Good for you. I know it's been hard for you with Ginny despising you, but she seems to have cooled off a bit.

"Y-Yeah…" Sirius fought the urged to laugh his ass off. If only the others knew!

"Speaking of cooling off… You noticed things at the Christmas party, didn't you?"

Ooh, how quickly things turned uncomfortable. "I was wondering quite a few things, myself, actually."

"Y'know, I don't blame Remus, I blame myself." Neville raised his left hand into the sky and gazed at his bare ring finger. "I could've moved things along with a proposal, but I'm too timid for my own good."

Sirius frowned, as Neville continued. There wasn't anything to say, so he let the nineteen-year-old talk.

"I don't even know if Luna and I had been okay from the start. Now looking back, I think I forced myself on her a bit. I really like her, but I can't even be sure if I actually love her." He shook his head in frustration, and turned to Sirius. "We had already come to a screeching halt months before this school year. About a week before this school year started, Luna and I were out shopping in Diagon Alley when we bumped into Remus. We strolled together for a while, but I didn't pay attention too much as I had to buy so many plants, seeds, and tools for my class. That left Luna and Remus to chat a tad, I s'pose. But that day –when we parted from Remus, Luna seemed…different. Almost like –Oh, Merlin," Neville grasped, slightly louder in tone than he had meant. "How could I not have noticed it that day? It had been a spark between them! Well, I'm sure of it on at least Luna's behalf. Then again… They seemed to be quite cozy at the Burrow, didn't they?"

The other wizard shrugged sympathetically. He looked to his right and took in the panoramic view of the mountains. During their walk, they had somehow wound up on the bridge, and Neville was leaning back on the other side. Sirius returned his attention to him.

"I figured something had been up with Luna especially recently. See, she's had a few _Quibbler_-related trips to Hogwarts, but she only stopped by to see me _once_ during those visits. _And_ I've seen her leaving the castle from the direction of his office." Neville abruptly paled. "Oh, no. Oh-oh, no!! You don't think they've been-?!"

"Whoa, boy! Let's not let our minds race with all kinds of possibilities and jump to conclusions!" Yes, Remus may be his best mate and they were like brothers, but Sirius certainly didn't want to think _those_ kinds of images with Remus and Luna in mind –YIKES!! Besides, Sirius had known Remus for years, and it had been hard for Mooney to even talk about accidently kissing the girl; Remus had most definitely _not_ slept with Luna.

But the way Neville's mind worked reminded Sirius a bit of Remus. Both men hadn't been sure of themselves in their relationships and now they were both accepting that those relationships were crumbling. Neville's shattered face was proof of that.

Sirius exhaled. "I know that Remus wouldn't do anything like that, Neville," he reassured the boy.

"But the night everyone was leaving, I was busying packing and I had been making Luna wait! We were going to spend the holiday at my grandmum's. I went looking for her and found her on top of him at the bottom of the staircase! I'm pretty sure they kissed!"

Though it pained him… "Neville, did you in fact see them kiss?"

Longbottom frowned. "No… But Remus was flustered, and Luna was quiet. When I helped her up, she didn't look at him or say _anything_ to him. Probably because I was there!"

"Neville, what exactly do you want? You said yourself that you weren't even sure if you truly loved her, but you sound so possessive. Do you think that might be the reason why she was so open about staying near him and away from you at the party?"

"I-" He closed his mouth. For a second, Sirius wondered if he was going to cry. "I've never liked another girl," he numbly muttered after a minute of silence.

"Well…maybe you should think about being on your own for a while and then playing the field a bit. In time, you might be able to come back to Luna and then you can see if you do love her after all." Sirius gripped Neville's shoulder. "You can't smother one person with love your whole lives. Sometimes, we need to be tested to make sure what we have for our loved ones is real, and we grimly have to be the testers our selves. Otherwise, we can destroy both their spirits and ours. So breathe easy, mate. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you to test yourself."

Who knows when the last time it happened, but this morning, Neville truly smiled. "Thanks, Sirius."

"No problem."

"I'm sure you'll have your own true love some day," Neville added as he headed back up to the castle for his morning class. "I can see you married, with children. Grandkids, even!"

Sirius was glad Neville was out of ear-shot. "I can see the wedding myself," he mumbled. He, too, trudged back up to the castle, the sound of crinkling grass under his feet.

-- -3

KYAAAAAA!! GOD, I'm proud of myself. Third post in about a week –whaddaya say, peoples?! WOOOO!! But poor Riu –why does everyone come out to him?! Haha! No, really, it was fun writing this chappy. I mean, Gin calling Rave 'Fuehrer Crowley'? The almost sex scene in the Room of Requirement? THE FORESHADOWING?! And if you didn't catch a whiff of all of that foreshadowing, you should probably go back to grade school.

Anywho, next chappy will start off on Friday night, the day before the Quidditch match, and it's going to end with a terrible cliffhanger, so here's to hoping that I can post it before school starts!

Keep reviewing, dearies, and keep reading on, 'cause GINRIUS RULES!!

ahem

See you next chapter, folks.

-mew-tsubaki


	16. 16th Telling 6th Blossom

To the Future

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!

-- -3

The Sixth Blossom (& the Sixteenth Telling)

Finally it was the night before the big Quidditch game, the one that would determine who went on to get third place and who would come in dead last in fourth. It had already been decided that the more important game would happen between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, but that was merely because Gryffindor had lacked a certain Chaser with a good eye.

At the particular moment, that Chaser had been chased from relaxation in the Gryffindor Common Room to outside of Trelawney's room.

"I thought you weren't going to buy into this," Ginny reminded her Hufflepuff gal-pal.

"Don't start," Miraphina chastised. "You've seen it clear as day as I have: Something's up with Grant. I just want to make sure that it's not me that's bothering him."

Ginny sighed. "Mira-"

Miraphina shoved Ginny toward the Divination chambers. "Please," she begged, a small blush brushing her cheeks, "I can't go in there; I'm too nervous. Just ask her about my future with Grant."

"But _I'm _not the one dating him," Ginny retorted.

"It's okay. Work your magic." The Hufflepuff gave one final push and Ginny was knocking on Trelawney's door. It swung open and let her in, then slammed close.

She had Divination almost everyday, but something changed when one was in it after the school day was over. Ginny awkwardly stepped into the middle of the room and called out. "Hello? Professor Trelawney?"

"Out in a minute, dear," came the teacher's voice from a back closet.

Ginny perused the shelves on her right while waiting. Her eyes drifted over the many foreseeing items Professor Trelawney owned. An odd aura surrounded one bag and Ginny realized it was Professor Trelawney's set of rune stones. Immediately, she backed away from it and bumped into the bumbling teacher; she jolted a little. "Oh! Professor!"

"Hello, dear," the professor said casually. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I heard you were doing readings for girls in...love." Ginny felt her tongue weigh down as she forced out the last word.

"Ah, yes. Let me get set up then. Go to the small table next to my desk, the one with the crystal ball on it. I'll be right there."

The Gryffindor let out an involuntary sigh of relief as she sat down. _So she's using the crystal ball for her readings. Good. I thought she was going to haul out those dreadful stones-_ Ginny's heart stopped as Trelawney sat down across from her, bag of rune stones in hand. "Uh, professor, you're going to use the stones...?"

"Yes. No one told you? The ball can be very murky and it's easy to upset both parties, but the rune stones are a bit deader on, permanent." Trelawney dumped the stones onto the table in a pile and smiled at Ginny. "Shall we begin?"

Ginny shifted nervously in her seat across from the professor. "Um, actually-" she interrupted, hoping to evade it all.

But Trelawney had already gathered the stones in her left hand, head tilted back, and she cast the stones. With the vigor she put into it, Ginny was surprised that all of the stones stayed on the table. Once each one had come to a stop, Trelawney bent over to read them. "My, oh my…"

Scared, the redhead's eyes flew to the two runes at which Trelawney was staring most intensely. Her breath caught in her mouth. This reading was meant for Mira and Grant…right?

But the seven-pointed star for Death was in the middle of the table, accompanied by the rosebud for Love.

Ginny's heart pounded in her ears. What would this mean? Someone was going to be hurt? Someone she loved? Or…were they going to be killed? She had no time to think as Professor Trelawney clutched the edges of the table, her eyes glazing over.

When the Divination teacher spoke, it was a different voice. "The night and mist shall gather at the height of tribulation to saving the flaming sky. If failure succeeds, more than one will be lost. If the night and mist vanish, the flaming sky will be snuffed out by eternal mourning."

Fear lodged a lump in Ginny's throat. She had no idea what this… -_prophecy_, she realized with a shudder –meant, but she knew it spelled some kind of certain doom. But for what?

Or whom?

Ginny touched Trelawney's hand, and the Divination professor returned. "Professor," Ginny pleaded, trying to keep her tone calm so as not to alarm the woman, "could you cast the stones again?"

Trelawney blinked. "Well, I don't see why not, but it's not likely that it'll turn out the same," she answered, not even realizing what had happened. Once more, the woman gathered the stones in her left hand, tilted her head back, and threw the bone-like rune stones onto the table. She blinked again. "That's odd."

The air whistled as Ginny sucked in a breath. Each and every rune stone was in the exact place and position it had been in before. She almost wasn't surprised to hear Trelawney's voice change again.

"_The night and mist shall gather at the height of tribulation to saving the flaming sky!!_" the voice angrily repeated. "_If failure succeeds, more than one will be lost! If the night and mist vanish, the flaming sky will be snuffed out by eternal mourning!_"

"_Noo!!_" Ginny yelled.

Her yelp startled Trelawney back into her regular state of mind. "Did you say something, dear?"

At this point, Ginny let go of all manners and niceties. "Cast them again!" she ordered.

Trelawney shrugged, oblivious to the worry evident on Ginny's features. She grasped the rune stones in her left hand _again_, her head tilted back, and –her head snapped forward with a snarl, the runes scattering on the table in their same exact positions as the previous two times. Ginny gasped as the other voice snarled at her through Trelawney's mouth. "You cannot change what is already set to happen, little girl!! The runes are all-knowing!!"

"No, they're not!!" Ginny screamed back.

"THE NIGHT AND MIST SHALL GATHER AT THE HEIGHT OF TRIBULATION TO SAVE THE FLAMING SKY!! IF FAILURE SUCCEEDS, MORE THAN ONE WILL BE LOST!! IF THE NIGHT AND MIST VANISH, THE FLAMING SKY WILL BE SNUFFED OUT BY ETERNAL MOURNING!!" Ginny tried to back up, but Trelawney stood and grasped her arm. "_You will lose him, girl!!_"

By now, a cold sweat had dampened Ginny's forehead. She fought to slow her breaths, but she had no control over her pulse. Ginny felt her teacher's grip lessen, until she was finally able to stand and back away slightly from the table.

Trelawney looked at her oddly, her voice normal once more. "Is something the matter, Miss Weasley?" She blinked several times in rapid succession, concern in her round, glassy eyes.

Ginny figured she must've looked paler than Nearly-Headless Nick, but she forced a smile anyway. "No, professor. Thank you, professor." At that, Ginny turned and left the classroom.

"See you in class tomorrow, dear!" Trelawney hollered.

When Ginny shut the Divination chambers' doors behind her, she looked around for Miraphina. Just then, her curvy friend returned. Miraphina noticed how tense Ginny was.

"Was it bad?" she asked.

"Umm…kinda neutral," Ginny lied. "The rune stones don't tell you much." She linked her arm through Miraphina's and tugged her away from the tower. "Where were you, anyway?"

Mira blushed. "Sorry. No sooner had the door closed after you then I heard the call of nature."

_Thank Merlin!_ Ginny thought. _There's no way I could hide the shouts if she had been standing right at the door, listening._

"So neutral could be good," Mira stated, interrupting Ginny's thoughts. "Well, I'll make the most of it. Grant's mine, and I won't let anyone else have him."

Ginny absent-mindedly nodded. "Yeah…"

-- -3

Numbly the next morning, Ginny changed into her Quidditch robes. Her limbs moved on their own as she grasped her broomstick and marched onto the field with her teammates. That prophecy had kept her wide awake the whole night. It was a miracle she was standing.

She almost didn't feel Mavrick poke her shoulder. "Ginny, you all right?" Nigel was beside him, hovering above the ground on his broom.

Ginny shook herself. "Yeah. Let's kick some Slytherin arse, guys!" She hopped on her broom and zoomed into position as the commentator introduced himself.

"_Welcome, everyone! It's time for another match between rival Houses Gryffindor and Slytherin, and I, Gerald Dissinger, will be your commentator on this lovely February morning! Now that both teams are all set up, Madam Hooch will release the balls! … There go the Bludgers, and the Golden Snitch has already disappeared from sight! The Quaffle is up and… The Quaffle's in Gryffindor's hands!_"

It hadn't taken very long to nab the red ball and snag the first round of points, and Ginny came to realize that she and Reaves were almost synchronized in the way that they traded off in the scoring of the points. And when put in a real match, Crowley wasn't half bad; Slytherin only managed to score a third of the points Ginny and Reaves had.

But the real test was Nigel. Ginny had thought him exceptional, but Slytherin's Seeker was a third year, and the third year's obvious lighter weight allowed her to fly faster. Luckily, Ginny had talked to Nigel about such a situation.

"_And Gryffindor's Seeker has pulled up on Slytherin's but –oh! Blind-sided by a Bludger! What terrible luck!_"

Ginny unconsciously bit down on her lower lip, but she paid it no mind. She searched for Mavrick and then Crowley. She made eye contact with Raven, and motioned to Mavrick; Crowley nodded, and sent Mavrick further down in the field, so he was closer to Nigel to back the fifth year up.

Again, Reaves scored, but Slytherin was beginning to catch up. One of the Slytherin Beaters had sent a Bludger sailing towards Crowley and Benton hadn't made it in time to send it back. The black ball had rammed into her left shoulder. Ginny saw the worry in Mavrick's eyes, but she glared at him, and he sullenly kept his position of flanking Nigel.

Ginny looked around for the Quaffle and saw it in Slytherin's hands. She gripped her broom's handle more tightly, and sped to meet him. She came up on his side and then realized her mistake as the other Slytherin Chaser sandwiched her in between them. But she had seen this tactic before. Instead of letting herself wait like a sitting basilisk, she shimmied to a slower speed, and drifted backwards out of their grip until-

_WHAM!_

"_Ooh! Nice play by Gryffindor's very own Ginny Weasley! The bristles of her broom sure did send the two Slytherin Chasers twirling like they were at the Yule Ball! And it also landed the Quaffle in Weasley's hands!! Whatta play!!_"

True, she had caught it and scored a few more points, but she was beginning to worry about Nigel. Both he and the other Seeker had lost sight of the Snitch, and the game had to end at some point. Just at that moment, though, Ginny watched as Nigel's head swiveled behind him, and he tore off to the east side of the field.

Everyone else had been watching Nigel, too. "_It looks like Gryffindor's caught sight of the Golden Snitch once again!! Their Seeker's speeding towards one of the green and silver Slytherin banners and- HE'S GOT IT!! GRYFFINDOR CAUGHT THE GOLDEN SNITCH!! THE MATCH GOES TO GRYFFINDOR!!_"

Boos and cheers alike rose from the stands, and Ginny caught a glimpse of her sexy D.A.D.A. professor, but then the prophecy came back to mind. She shook herself and alighted on the ground next to Mavrick, Reaves, and Nigel. She poked Mavrick, who had Crowley on his other side.

He shook his head, but Ginny 'helpfully' shoved him into Raven. All that got was a start out of the blonde.

"Watch it, you!!" Raven snarled at her.

"Oh, my bad." But Ginny could see that it was excitement –not anger –coloring her face. "Go for it," Ginny said out of the side of her mouth to Mavrick. She gave him another little nudge and- "Oops."

Mavrick had fallen on top of Raven, their lips accidently locked. He quickly stood and apologized. "I'm sorry, Raven! I-!"

But Raven bashfully/angrily looked away from him. "Whatever you have to say to me, tell me later, Mavrick. Not here."

His jaw dropped and he glanced at Ginny; she was smiling. She had heard it, too. Raven had called him 'Mavrick' instead of 'Morris'!! Maybe love wasn't too hard to move along…

Then again… Ginny forced herself to not look for Sirius in the sea of faces. If she did, she knew she would crumble and unload to him about the prophecy. For all she knew, it was probably nothing.

Then again…

-- -3

The following Tuesday, the school had resumed its normal study-crunch time, but that didn't hinder the delight for the morning mail.

Pig crashed into Ginny's milk, but otherwise landed on his feet this time. Ginny opened her small packaged and saw that her mother had sent her a pretty violet scarf with a note heralding her for the Quidditch win.

Grant and Miraphina had been sitting with her, as well, Nigel to Ginny's right. Reaves was sitting with Benton a little ways away at the Gryffindor table, glowering at her. Ginny rolled her eyes and scanned the room for Mavrick and Raven. She hadn't seen much of those two out of class, but she had a feeling that they were pretty busy anywho.

Miraphina hadn't received anything, but Grant had gotten a short letter attached to one of the school's owl's legs. He had opened it and read it himself, not allowing Mira to glance at it over his shoulder. When he was done, he had stuffed the note into his robes and collected his things at the table.

"Grant, where are you going? What's wrong?" Mira asked.

But Grant didn't even look at her. His face was grimly set and he scurried out of the Great Hall.

Mira turned back to Ginny and Nigel, blinking back tears. "He probably forgot something," she asserted, smiling painfully.

Ginny grimaced, though. Grant had been like this practically since the return after Christmas. How could his attitude towards his girlfriend and best friend have changed so suddenly? Why would it have changed at all? But the bell rang, and Ginny and Mira had Charms. He would probably ignore them then, too…

-- -3

Only half the day had passed when Ginny and Mira realized that Grant was missing. He hadn't been in any of his other classes; the girls knew. Between the two of them, Grant was always in one of their classes. And Mira had even gathered enough courage to ask a couple of Slytherins if Grant had been to the dormitories. Only one had mentioned that he had seen Grant packing his things, but he wouldn't say any more. He probably wouldn't know even if Mira had pushed further.

Ginny had to wonder, though. Obviously, the staff knew, so he was probably safe if Dumbledore and the others weren't searching for him. But why wouldn't Grant have said anything to her and Mira? They, foremost of all people, deserved to know.

Yet, since the teachers weren't worried in the least bit, Ginny reassured Mira and herself that the Slytherin with golden eyes would return. Yes, the redhead wasn't completely sure of it herself, but they couldn't break down like children. After this year, they would be adults in the wizarding world –hell, Ginny and Grant had been able to practice magic legally for about a year, and Mira had turned seventeen back in October, so they actually _were_ adult magic casters already.

Still, Friday's Defense Against the Dark Arts class was a drag without the boy. Mavrick even asked Ginny about her melancholy disposition at supper that evening.

"Well, you saw him with that letter a few mornings ago," she told Mavrick and Raven. Even Reaves seemed to be listening in. "Something's not right, I know it."

Raven scoffed. "Come on. He's a Slytherin. I'm sure you've learned not to trust those snakes in all your wise years, haven't you?"

"Grant's different!!" Mira yelled at the haughty blonde. "He didn't even _want_ to be in that house, so shut your trap!"

Mavrick frowned. "Even _I_ think that was a bit out of line, Rave. We barely know him."

"That's exactly what I mean!" Raven pointed out. "He's a pure-blood, isn't he? Pure-bloods of the Slytherin House have always thought less of anyone who isn't pure-blood. It doesn't even matter if they're in Slytherin House. The feud with Slytherin pure-bloods and all other non-pure-bloods is as old as the one between Slytherin and Gryffindor!" Raven tsked. "He probably got tired of hanging out with blood traitors, half-bloods, and muggle-borns."

Miraphina clenched a fist. "Do you have a problem with muggle-borns, Crowley?" She almost spat the other girl's surname in her face.

"I _am_ muggle-born, you airhead of a git," Raven snarled.

Instead of amending her words like Ginny knew Miraphina would typically do, the Hufflepuff with the streaks in her bangs merely turned away from the blonde. The tension was seeping in, preparing for a long stay.

-- -3

Late the next morning, many a Hogwarts student stepped outside the castle in regular clothing, a well-earned trip to Hogsmead in today's plans. Ginny was waiting outside for Mira to join her; she had told the others from the team that they could hook up later if they felt like it. The redhead shivered slightly and pulled her woolen coat tighter around her. It had snowed some time during the night, and the chill was settling into Ginny's bones, but her scarf was wound up to the point that, if she tried to pull any tighter, her face would turn the same violet as her scarf.

For many of the students around her, it was a different story. Sure, plenty had jackets and scarves and the occasional hat, but the heat of Valentine's Day appeared to be more than satisfactory for some.

Ginny scowled. Of course. The most romantic day of the year, and she couldn't spend it with Sirius. She wasn't sure if he had even signed up as one of the chaperones, so catching sight of him on the trip was highly unlikely.

She did her best not to dwell son it when the rest of the students going on the trip –Mira included –arrived, and the large group made its way down to Hogsmead.

Nothing much had changed in Hogsmead, except now there was a small outlet of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes sitting next to Madam Puddifoot's. Now looking at the cutesy café next to her brothers' store, Ginny nearly gagged on the excess of pink and girly pastel colors and fluffiness for which it was done up on Valentine's Day. She looked around and saw a quiet new tea room –the Graces Three –and was shocked that the pretty place had very little business. _Two or three customers, at most,_ Ginny counted. She turned to ask Mira if they should try it when she realized that the other girl had already disappeared in the sea of bodies pouring from Fred and George's shop. But someone else was behind Ginny now.

It was a boy about her age, with short black hair and a wide grin. He was dressed in jeans and a muddy brown coat. Ginny wondered –guiltily –where this handsome male had come from. If he had been from Hogwarts, she was positive she would've noticed him before. Although, she _had_ concentrated on only her studies for that long period of time… She brought her mind back into the present.

"I'm sorry…," she managed, "but do I know you?"

"It's me, Ginny!" The boy opened his eyes to reveal two smoky gray orbs.

"Gray eyes? Siri-?!"

He put a finger to her lips, and then his. "Call me 'Simon', for now."

Her eyes were as wide as saucers. "Oh my-!! How did-?! Are you really Siri-?!" she spluttered.

"I can prove it," he said. "I gave you that enchanted radio for Christmas."

Ginny looked at him skeptically. "You might've overheard some Gryffindor girl talking about me playing that late at night," she offered as a counter-point.

He flared his nostrils, but then mischievously grinned. "Fine." He bent closer so as to make sure only she could hear his undertones. "You shudder twice with the lightest touch down the small of your bare back and I left a tacky ol' hickey on the inner part of you left thi-"

She clamped both hands over his mouth, her blushing cheeks more gaudy than the interior of Madam Puddifoot's Valentine décor. "Okay, you really are Sirius," she admitted.

"Ah-ah-ah. Call me 'Simon' while I'm like this," he stated.

"Well, then, _Simon_ –why do you look like that anyway?"

Sirius shrugged. "I can be a genius when I feel like it. All I had to do was look at some of Polyjuice Potion's properties and mold them into a Charm. This'll give me about ninety minutes as an eighteen-year-old boy –I think." He tapped his chin in thought. "Not too sure about the time limit part. That might've been the one item I screwed up. Anyway," he continued, placing a hand on her shoulder, "don't you think it's nice to be able to spend today with your love?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, but she was happy. "Well, why don't you try out that new tea room with me, then?" she asked, and pointed to the Graces Three.

Sirius smiled. "Sure. Let's go!"

When they stepped into the tea room, they were bathed in the place's halcyon vibes. They took a corner table away from the windows and ordered two butterbeers and a custard-filled treacle tart to split. A waitress brought their order to them after only a few minutes of waiting and they gazed at the detailed little lyre in the middle of the dessert, with three beautiful goddesses surrounding the instrument.

"I almost feel bad that we mean to eat it," Sirius commented while taking a forkful for himself.

"Hmm…good," Ginny cooed. "Kinda melts…yum."

He chuckled at her childishness and they enjoyed themselves for about ten minutes when Ginny realized that Mira and/or the others might be wondering where she was. "Grant's missing, you say? I thought I'd heard that he'd just gone home to take care of some family business," Sirius said as they left the tea room.

"Oh. Well… He still could've said that it was family matters to Mira, at least. He's my best mate, but he's _her_ boyfriend. You should see the state she's in."

Sirius half-grimaced, thinking. He and Ginny were walking back to the twins' shop when the couple overheard something…of interest, to say the least.

A tall wizard with a gangly gait and his bearded companion had passed by Ginny and Sirius, exchanging urgent mutterings. "…Selwyn's put himself up as the next You-Know-Who," the gangly one whispered to his friend.

Beard-ly shook his head. "Everything's set in place, but that girl…"

"You mean, 'girls.' I don't know which one will be more troublesome in the end."

Beard-ly clasped Gangly on the back, displaying an eerie smile with a mouth full of crooked, yellow teeth. "Here's to revenge, mate!"

"Yeah…revenge!"

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks. Could they really be talking about Grant? She glanced at Sirius, who was thinking the same thing.

"Don't confront them," Sirius told her. "You could get hurt."

"But they obviously know something!!"

"We may have heard them out of context, Gin. Look, I'll go casually drop a line and fish what I can out of them, all right?"

She frowned, thought that maybe she was one of the 'troublesome girls' they were ready to dispose of, and then begrudgingly stepped out of the way. "… All right."

He kissed her forehead and turned to walk after the two men when he gasped in pain and clutched his face.

"Siri-! Simon!" Ginny tentatively grabbed his arm. "Are you okay?!"

Sirius removed his hand to reveal half his face sloughing off. She backed away in horror. "It's okay," he assured her, his voice changing with each syllable. "The Charm's wearing off. I guess I set it for _fifteen_ minutes instead of six times that amount. I have to get back to the castle before I'm spotted." Sirius gripped her hands. "See you later, love."

The witch nodded, though still worried, and watched him return to Hogwarts under the cover of a few doorways, trees, and shadows. Ginny nearly jumped out of her shoes when Mira tapped her shoulder. Ginny turned and saw that the team was behind her.

"Where were you?" Mira inquired.

Ginny feigned a smile. Sirius was right. If she didn't have the full story, then she could be wrong, so she wasn't going to mention a word to Miraphina –not yet. "I was just looking around," she lied.

Mira and Mav seemed doubtful, but Ginny scanned the others' eyes. _Good. I don't think any of them saw me with Sirius. _The inquisitive look in Reaves' eyes belied another story, though. _Oh, crap!_

The group of friends entered the Three Broomsticks and the gaiety of the holiday seemed to brighten everyone back up. Everyone except Reaves. He kept staring at Ginny, as if he was looking right through her, not even minding that the others had noticed his actions by the time another quarter hour had passed. Finally, Ginny had had it.

"What?" she barked at him, her cheeks red from the sudden attention.

"Nothing." Reaves didn't say another word and just turned his attention to something outside the window.

This kid was really getting on her nerves! Yes, he was one of the three on the team who was taller than her (the other two being Mav and Rave), but he was too cocky for a sixth year. Ginny wondered if it had to do with his birthday being too early by about two weeks, which stuck him as a sixth year instead of a seventh. If it was that, she could sort of sympathize; she didn't want to be stuck here any longer, either.

Especially with a prophecy dangling over her head like a guillotine.

As all the Hogwarts students made their way back to the stony castle, Ginny tuned out the banter. Her mind was too preoccupied with the debate of telling Sirius about the prophecy or not. On one hand, she shouldn't keep anything from him; they were equals. On the other hand, she had no idea what it meant. She could pick his brain for ideas if she told him, but he might also tell her that Sybil Trelawney might've gotten into her stash of sherry again. In the end, Ginny decided that she would hit her books to try and decipher the prophecy, but her books didn't mention much about pairings of night and mist, and there wasn't one word about a flaming sky.

As the witch changed into her nightgown –the lilac one that still hinted at the delicious scent of Sirius –Ginny wondered if she had the time to scour Divination books for an answer. She hoped she had more time than Sirius's Charm disguise.

-- -3

Okay… As I was writing this, the story took charge and so it didn't end this chapter with the intended cliff-hanger, but that will definitely be in chapter seventeen, which will probably be short and sweet (but hopefully more than three or four pages).

Hope you guys enjoyed this tidbit and hold on as the next chappy is already in the works.

See you soon!

-mew-tsubaki


	17. 17th Telling 7th Blossom

To the Future

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!

-- -3

The Seventh Blossom (& the Seventeenth Telling)

The beginning of March was now upon the residents of Hogwarts castle. The snow had already stopped within February's last week, and the rainy season that came with spring was being merciful, so when Ginny joined Charlie in remembrance of Ron on the youngest Weasley boy's birthday on March first, it was only drizzling.

Sirius hadn't attended for two reasons: first, it would let the cat out of the bag, and second, he was certain that he might serve as a nasty reminder as to why Ron wasn't with the Weasleys anymore. But Sirius had said his own prayer for Ron. After all, Ron was the reason why Sirius was alive again. If it hadn't been for Ron…

Sirius would never have been thrown together with Ginny at Fate's whim.

The wizard froze at the mere thought of being without his firebrand of a woman, but he shook his head free of such ponderings. March first had already come and passed, as had Remus's birthday. _I wonder what he thought of his gifts, assuming someone other than just me got him a present._ "Hmm…"

The sound of footsteps resounding in the corridor behind him made Sirius turn. Remus held up his wrist and smiled. "I like the watch, by the way," Remus said by way of a thank-you.

Sirius half-grinned. "Sorry… I know it's not much, but I noticed the old one had broken. This one's alarm will scream you awake if need be, y'know."

"Yes, I checked the settings." The werewolf had run out of things to say, and as the Animagus wasn't offering anything further, Remus decided to dive head-in. "I, er, saw you talk with Neville not that long ago."

"I'm not going to tell you what we talked about, if that's what you're after, Remus."

"But it had to have been about –" Mooney struggled with the right words. "About the…situation."

"Perhaps 'affair' or 'love-triangle' would work best in this case," Sirius offered. "But I still won't tell you what we talked about. Don't worry; I didn't spill your life story."

"If it wasn't about that, then why all the moaning about keeping quiet?"

"And since when did you become a nosy teenage girl?!"

"Maybe the moment you hit your noggin' and became as secretive as Snape!!"

"Are you calling me a snake?!"

"No, I'm calling you a greasy black bat!!"

Both Marauders glared at each other, huffing and panting. Apparently, it takes point four seconds for two thirty-somethings to revert to their prepubescent stages.

"Just give me an inkling," Remus demanded.

"No!" Sirius told him. "And don't even think of trying to pull the 'big eyes' act on me. You know I was the only one who could ever do it, and it only worked on you and James anyway."

Remus softened at the mention of their other best friend. He didn't say anything for a while.

"Dog got your tongue?"

"No!!" The brown-eyed wizard sighed. "Just tell me if it had anything to do with Luna."

"I said, 'no'!" And with that, Sirius sauntered off, quite pissed, if one might add.

-- -3

For the next couple of weeks, Remus kept at it anyway, much to Sirius's chagrin. But as April chugged along, he began to wonder if revealing _some_ of the conversation might help sober his best mate up. After all, hearing that Neville didn't blame him at all would probably kick Remus's sense of guilt into action. Then again, giving him even the tiniest bit of information would mean he won. Sirius never lost. Well, okay, maybe that _one_ time when he fell into the veil, but let's not go dragging them skeletons out of the old closet, eh, blokes?

But, to some, losing might also happen if one lets a troubling situation irk them to the point where it interferes with their daily life. Maybe the person can't focus. Maybe they're focusing too much on something that they obsess themselves with the other thing to stay busy and keep their mind trouble-free. Maybe they ignore it. Or maybe, they let it get to them so that the problem is always at the forefront of their mind. And if that be the case…who knows just how many different ways one could handle? Who knows how our favorite, sexy Animagus Sirius would handle it?

……

Wanna know how?

--3

All day long –okay, for the rest of April and now the beginning of May –Ginny had been fidgeting. Supposedly, Grant was still away on 'family business' and the staff didn't seem perturbed, but she felt things were amiss. She couldn't place her finger on it, but she _knew_… Shouldn't that have been enough?

But it wasn't enough for her, and she kept replaying the scene from Valentine's Day in her mind. Quite possibly, those two Dark Wizards hadn't meant _Grant_ Selwyn; maybe they had meant his da, or another relative, like an uncle.

Still, no matter who it was, trying to set their self up as the next Voldemort… If it was a problem that dangerous, Ginny knew she could tell her dad –but at the possible cost of her best mate?

And then there was the gnawing at her, the duty eating away at her to tell Mira what she had heard. Things couldn't turn out _too_ bad if she told the Hufflepuff. Of course, hearing that your boyfriend was evil wouldn't be a girl's idea of a day's highlight.

Ginny and Miraphina bustled into Sirius's classroom with the rest of the seventh years. Mira looked as forlorn as ever, and Ginny chewed her bottom lip. To tell Mira or not to tell Mira –that was the question.

She kept anxiously chewing on her bottom lip as Sirius grabbed some things from a corner and passed behind her and Mira on his way back to his desk in the front. He obviously noticed what she was doing and was quite curt when he told her to stop it. He didn't even care that his voice was louder, angrier than normal. He didn't care that all eyes were on his back as he scrawled something on the board.

At this point, he didn't give a damn care in the world.

The redhead quickly recovered from his little outburst and blinked as the whispered words spilled from her mouth. "Mira, I need to tell you something."

Mira paused in her note-taking and glanced sideways. "Now? In the middle of class?" she inquired in undertones.

"Honestly, I think I should have mentioned it a while back," Ginny murmured.

The Hufflepuff frowned. "Can't it wait?"

_I don't know when I'll next have the courage,_ Ginny thought. She steeled herself. "Mira, I think that maybe –"

"Do you think it's okay to interrupt class?" Sirius bellowed from the head of the class. His hand was still poised on the board with the chalk, and his back still faced the class. When neither Ginny nor Miraphina answered, he called on them. "Well, Miss Atherton? Miss Weasley? Is it all right to disturb class?"

Ginny grimaced. He didn't have to turn into Snape, for crying-out-loud. "We didn't mean any harm, professor."

Sirius turned around, eyes closed, and pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to calm himself. "There's no talking unless called upon," he reminded them.

"It was my fault-," Mira began.

"No, I felt the need to tell her something," Ginny cut in, putting an arm in front of her friend. "I'm sorry, professor. It won't happen again."

"But I was talking with you!" Mira stated.

"Just shut up," Ginny told her.

"If you had just told me what you had to say from the beginning, then-"

"I said, 'shut up'!"

"BOTH OF YOU!" Sirius yelled. The class was stunned into silence. He didn't even notice. "Both of you, shut up! Weasley! Atherton! Detention, right here in this room after supper! Scratch that –you can miss supper and come straight here after your last class! Is that understood?" He finally let his eyes fly open and meet Ginny's smoldering blue ones. He didn't flinch, but he knew she had a nasty taste in her mouth. He had it, too.

He turned back to the board and carried on as if nothing had happened. Of course, something _had_. Something big. Sirius had been frustrated with students before, but he had never yelled at someone like that, not at any point in the entire school year. And, as luck would have it, one of the first two he blasted just _had_ to be Ginny. Yes, he might've had some misplaced anger, but he thought of something else: _I blame Remus_.

-- -3

_WHAM!_

"Don't drop your things on your desk," Sirius stated when Ginny and Mira had appeared later that evening in the classroom. He watched as Ginny glared at him, but he ignored it, partly since they had company, partly because he was too exhausted to admit that he just might die by her hand.

Meanwhile, Miraphina yanked on Ginny's sleeve. "Ginny! Try not to make Professor Black angrier than he already is." She studied Ginny's face before the redhead turned away. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Ginny snapped, and she sat down, putting a seat between Mira and herself.

Mira looked affronted. "Well!" she huffed, and she plopped down in her chair.

"Stop talking," Sirius ordered. "And I didn't say either of you could sit." Mira immediately rose, but Ginny cupped her cheek in her palm, deciding to stare out the window than pay attention to them. He glared at her, but knew it was useless. Fine. She wanted to be a stubborn arse, she could be a stubborn arse. He looked at Miraphina. "Miss Atherton, if you would be so kind as to run to my office down the hall and grab the stack of papers in the middle of my desk." Sirius tossed her a key to his office. "Don't actually run, though."

"Yes, sir," Mira answered. She walked out of the classroom, and all the cheeriness went away, like the sun had been snuffed out by the density of infuriating indifference in the room.

A number of steady beats passed before Sirius and Ginny said at the same time, "Why're _you_ so angry?" They both blinked and waited, before saying, in unison, "_I'm_ not angry."

Sirius chuckled, but Ginny –blushing –glowered at him. "Why're you laughing? Better yet, why'd you give us detention?"

His grin slowly faded. "I didn't mean to blow up at you two. Actually, Remus was getting on my nerves, so I guess I finally exploded." He frowned. "I'm sorry."

Ginny quizzically peered at him. "Forget that. _Remus_ was bothering you?"

"Yes. There are some sparks between him and Luna, it turns out. I talked to Neville, and Remus wants to know what we talked about." He blinked and Ginny was by his side. "Neville doesn't even blame Remus; he blames himself."

"Oh." Ginny gripped his hand. "So everyone's been coming to you with their problems."

Sirius nodded. "What were you trying to tell Miraphina, anyway?"

"Well, I was about to tell her what we overheard. Hey! I didn't!" she amended when he groaned.

"That's a relief."

Ginny nodded, but hid her face behind his shoulder. At least she now had her answer to the debate of telling him about the prophecy: She couldn't. He had enough stress as it was.

"Is something else the matter?" Sirius brushed the hair out of her eyes and was facing her now.

She almost felt like crying. Of course he would realize it was more than one thing bothering her! Ginny smiled and tilted her head back slightly. "Nothing's wrong, but everything might look better if you kiss me."

"That can be arranged." He locked lips with her and she realized he hadn't eaten either, because she tasted only him in this kiss.

But at the same time, Mira had just cracked open the classroom door and was now peeking in on the (minor) make-out fest. The Hufflepuff couldn't tear her eyes off her friend and her D.A.D.A. teacher, but she also couldn't find it in her to interrupt them. Although, she was surprised that they hadn't noticed her when she had released a quite audible gasp when she first opened the door.

And the footsteps to her left had stopped when the gasp escaped her lips. Mira turned and saw in horror for Ginny that Professor Weasley –Ginny's brother –was standing there a few feet away, with a look on his face as to why Mira was at the doors with cheeks as red as a baboon's bum.

He and Mira made eye contact and she couldn't look away. Ginny had helped Mira before with homework and with the love reading for her relationship with Grant and Ginny was an all-around great friend, but Mira knew there was no way to help Ginny right now.

-- -3

Rewind to about thirty seconds ago…

Charlie had reached the floor where Sirius's classroom was. The now-eldest Weasley boy (if he can still be called that) turned the small packet over in his hand. "I can't believe this," he muttered to himself. "Only _now_ does Mum do her spring cleaning and she finds that she never gave Sirius his Christmas present. Why the bloody hell do I have to deliver this?"

A gasp ahead of him forced Charlie's attention to something outside of his own ponderings. His eyes met Miraphina Atherton's, but she looked like she was in the early stages of choking, considering how beet red she was. She was standing in front of the doors to Sirius's classroom.

"Miss Atherton? What are you doing here?" Charlie asked the Hufflepuff.

"I- uh-" She seemed to be choking on her words, as it turns out. "I have detention with Professor Black," she finally stated.

"So why are you still out here in the hall?"

"Um, he sent me to fetch something from his office," she replied.

He nodded. "I can see that you've procured what he needed, so go on in, Miss Atherton."

"Well, I-"

"I'll come in with you," Charlie offered, stepping closer to the doors. Now he was standing beside her. He held up a package for her to see. "I have to give him something myself." And then he swung the doors open.

_That_ caught Ginny and Sirius's attention. The couple stayed frozen, though, Sirius's arms around her waist and Ginny's fingers entwined in his hair.

Charlie felt his blood boil. His nostrils flared. He inhaled and prepared to scream at them.

But another sound of footsteps brought his attention to Minerva McGonagall. The witch was running as fast as she could in her billowing green and black robes. Worry was evident in her eyes. She was out of breath when she reached Charlie.

"Minerva? What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Have you seen Remus, Charlie?" she asked, practically ignoring Mira's presence. She clutched his arm for support as she tried to regain her breath.

Charlie shook his head just as Sirius came out of his classroom. Apparently, Ginny and Sirius had detached themselves the moment Charlie had turned his head, and Sirius had just heard Minerva ask about Remus.

Minerva saw Sirius appear beside Charlie. "Sirius, have you seen Remus?"

Sirius's brow furrowed. "No, I haven't. Why?"

"It's- It's Tonks," she spluttered, tears pooling in her eyes. "She's suffering a miscarriage as we speak."

Charlie's jaw dropped and Ginny gasped from just inside the room. Sirius, however, clenched his jaw. "And no one's seen him?"

"Not since earlier this evening, no."

"This evening, you say? Well, what does the sky look like?"

Realization dawned in her eyes. "Oh. Well, it's cloudy tonight. We can't see the moon or a single star."

Sirius side-stepped the Transfiguration teacher and marched to the other side of the corridor and gazed out the window. Right then, a few clouds parted, enough to see the moon. The full moon.

A far off howl echoed at the foot of the mountains.

-- -3

Enough of a cliffie? Y'know, I told my sis, lady-kyo, what I was going to do with the love square (Luna, Neville, Tonks, and Lupin), and she said that it was "so tsubaki" of me. So you guys tell me: Was this chappy "tsubaki" enough for you?

I hope you stay with me even if the few upcoming chapters are slightly shorter than usual (and this one beat four pages –it was eleven), but I _have_ given you guys some juicy stuff, so…

Look for some true action and emotions in beginning of chapter eighteen! AND REVIEW!!

-mew-tsubaki


	18. 18th Telling, 1st Wilt

To the Future

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- CAR SCREECH AND CRASH I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

-- -3

The First Wilt (& the Eighteenth Telling)

Another blood-curdling howl pierced the night.

Sirius turned back to the others. "I take it that Tonks is already at St. Mungo's, then," he said to Minerva.

She nodded. "Her parents are there with her. Molly and Arthur are on their way, too. Since Remus is her husband and you're a cousin, we figured both of you should be there."

The wizard grimaced. "Yes… Obviously, Dumbledore can't leave, but you should go now if you plan on being there, Minerva."

McGonagall nodded again and disappeared down the hall. Charlie was still dumbfounded, but Ginny locked eyes with Sirius.

"Tonks is like family," Ginny told him. "I want to be there for her."

Charlie snapped back to reality. "Should you really go?"

"I'm sure Dumbledore will understand if you escort Ginny there," Sirius told him. "You should take the Floo Network, if you can."

Ginny nodded and Charlie took her hand. "Are you coming?" Charlie inquired.

"I'll catch up with all of you later," Sirius yelled behind him as he ran down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Ginny hollered.

"To get Remus!!" The faster he ran, the more his body shifted until he was a black dog with matted fur. He turned a corner and disappeared from sight. To think that that small dog was going to take on a werewolf sent a terrifying shiver down Ginny's spine.

Charlie yanking on her hand made her look at him. "We have to get going, Gin." He looked past her shoulder. "Atherton, if you could go and eat supper and not mention anything –about either situation –" he stated pointedly, "-I would appreciate it."

Ginny saw Mira nod and then the two Weasleys were off. Right before they went downstairs, Ginny glanced at Mira over her shoulder. The Hufflepuff mouthed 'I'm sorry'.

Its impact hit Ginny. No wonder Charlie had suddenly opened the doors. He must've seen Mira standing there peeking at them. Guilt coated her tongue and throat.

"You're angry, aren't you?" she asked her brother as they entered McGonagall's office and rushed to the fireplace.

Charlie grabbed a handful of Floo powder and waited until Ginny had her own. "Now's not the time or the place, Gin," was all he said.

Sullen, the witch stepped into the fireplace and dropped the powder. "St. Mungo's Hospital!!"

A second later, Ginny was on the floor of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies. Charlie came up behind her, and the two rushed to where McGonagall was waiting beside the main desk. Then the three were off into the labyrinth of corridors.

-- -3

The steady pitter-patter of paws would have been the noise that typically followed Sirius when he was a dog. Tonight, however, was stressful and a heart-racing clomp accompanied him as he streaked through the Forbidden Forest. The dull thuds and the sound of crackling twigs echoed in the dense mass of foliage.

_Goddammit!!_ he thought as he came into a clearing. _The stress of their relationship probably got to Tonks. Why did she have that miscarriage _tonight_?!_

Ahead of him, a silhouette loomed in his view. He came to a screeching halt when he realized it was Remus in werewolf form. Sirius bared his teeth and growled; Remus howled and looked at Sirius with big black eyes.

The Animagus viciously barked. _Get it together, Remus! Tonks needs you now!!_

Remus was less than half gone. So –he had only transformed a little while ago. _T-Tonks?_ His eyes grew rounder as more of the beast took over. A low, guttural noise came from the back of his throat. _You, do, are meat!_ A set of glimmering fangs upped that threat.

_Pull your head out of your ass!_ Sirius said with a few barks. _Remus, I don't give a damn that you aren't in love with Tonks, but you better get to your wife's _fucking_ bedside before my teeth sink into your jugular!!_

His words might have penetrated, they might not have. Sirius didn't have the time to deduce the result as Remus lunged at him, claws outstretched. The black dog leaped out of the way with a tiny whimper, and struck the were on the arm. Remus merely shook him off.

Sirius landed on his feet. He would need a plan –and fast. He ran behind Remus and was on the defensive as his best mate came at him with a fury of swipes. It was all Sirius could do to stay alive.

Remus tripped over a felled tree, and the Animagus seized the chance to chomp down on the werewolf's left ear. Remus shrieked in pain. He shook his head violently, flinging Sirius into a nearby shrub. Remus went for him and Sirius escaped between the werewolf's huge legs.

_Gee, Rem. If that's close to what it looks like in real life, I can see why Tonksy would want you all to herself._

The werewolf deeply inhaled and released a rumbling howl. He reached for Sirius, who was all too aware of what might happen if he was caught in that monstrous grip. But he couldn't back up any further; a tree was blocking his escape route. Instead, Sirius jumped onto Remus's hand and ran along his arm, finishing with a nasty head-butt. When the canine landed on all four feet, he chanced a look behind him. Remus was wobbling backwards, clutching his head. The act was more human than feral beast.

_Sorry_, Sirius stated with a yip. _I didn't realize that all of my strength had been behind that blow._

His best mate kept teetering until he finally fell to the clearing floor on his back. Remus panted a bit, but his breathing slowed, and the grunts and moans sounded more and more human. Something crunched, and silence followed.

The Animagus shifted back. Sirius timidly approached Remus, who was still in werewolf form. "Precious hours have just gone by, Remus. Can't you fight the lycan blood just this once?"

Remus's breathing was regular now, and there was only the occasional jagged rumble from his throat. The gray-eyed wizard frowned, hoping he had gotten through to his friend. Remus turned his head away.

"Remus."

Suddenly, Remus snapped his head back to Sirius and leaped up. He bellowed, grabbed the front of Sirius's robes, and chucked the black-haired Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher into the tree that had blocked Sirius's escape route moments earlier. The wizard bit down on his tongue to try not to scream, but it was useless; his shriek tore through the night, and he fell to the ground with a thump. Minutes passed before Sirius felt decent enough to sit up, straining. But when he was finally on his knees, Remus's fist came in contact with his left cheek, and there was a sickening crack as Sirius's head swiveled to the right.

Sirius gritted his teeth and winced. "Well, thanks for taking care of the crick in my neck."

The response was a palm thrust that collided with Sirius's chin. The wizard's head snapped backwards and he flew backwards in an arch. He landed in a bush of thorns.

_Damn brambles._ He sat up, but the bramble branches tightened their grip on him. Sirius rolled his eyes. _Of _course_ the plant has bloodlust. … Stupid enchantment!_ He calmed down, but the thorns only dug deeper into his skin. _Agh! Why can't the Devil's Snare reasoning work?! Bloody fucking-!_ The plant let go. He stood and brushed himself off, heading back towards the clearing. _Only incensed anger, eh?_ Sirius scoffed.

When he reentered the clearing, it was eerily empty. Sirius was taken aback. Had werewolf Remus really abandoned their fight? It couldn't be. Sirius hunted for Remus and listened for any howls, but every up-turned rock turned up nothing. The gray-eyed wizard furrowed his brow, and looked to the horizon. Hours really _had_ passed. It was probably between two-thirty and three a.m. right about now. He wondered if Tonks was currently all right…

"If I were a werewolf, where would I run off to…?" Sirius pondered aloud. He kept searching and walking, but now he was close to the entrance of the Forbidden Forest, from whence he came. _Bollocks…_ If a werewolf was heading toward the school, little might be done to ensure both parties' safety. Yes, Dumbledore might recognize Remus, but the children came first. Remus would be a sacrifice for the greater good.

At that thought, Sirius broke into a sprint and broke through the trees. He had already lost one best friend for the greater _evil_, and he was not going to lose his last one to the opposing opinion. Just thinking of losing one of his last ties to his own humanity –ties that had barely kept him fighting for his sanity in both Azkaban and the veil –sent a torrent of fear crashing into him. Out of the blue, Remus the werewolf crashed into him, as well.

The wizard bit his bottom lip as his right arm throbbed in pain. He turned and faced Remus. The werewolf glowered and snarled, throwing a bit of slobber about. Sirius knew he had no choice. He reached for his wand, pointed it as Remus, and was preparing to shout, "Stupefy!" when Remus caught his wand hand and squeezed, forcing Sirius to drop his wand.

Remus kept a tight grip, even when Sirius landed a punch on his nose. At that, the were appeared to smile, and he lifted Sirius off the ground. Sirius gasped for breath and choked as the fingers closed tighter around his neck. His feet dangled and he tried kicking and flailing, but it was no use.

"Re-Remus!" Sirius rasped. "Get a hold of yourself! … What would Luna think, hmm?" He tried meeting Mooney's eyes, and Remus appeared to be listening. "Do you think she'd appreciate you leaving your wife? In a time of need?! I know you at least love Nymphadora like a friend! Doesn't that count for anything ?!"

His best mate's grip slackened and Remus was confused –for but a second. His hand tightened and Sirius coughed. Tighter and tighter, until Sirius wondered if his windpipe was going to be crushed. Blood rushed around in his head, and Sirius blinked several times, chasing stars away. Well, if reasoning with love wouldn't work, then he was out of ideas. Sirius's eyelids began to drift close, and he started to feel a tiredness not acquainted with sleep.

_Maybe a permanent nap would do me some go…_

Remus yowled and, the next thing Sirius knew, the werewolf released him and he was dropping like a dead weight to the ground. He fell on his back, and his head connected with a rock. Sirius winced, but sat up –and breathed a sigh of relief as the morning's first few rays of sunlight peeked over the mountains.

_Hmm. Maybe searching earlier took longer than expected._

Sirius blinked to readjust his eyes to the daylight. In fact, in a few blinks, Remus had turned back and the sun had completely risen. Sirius stood and passed his over-robe to his best mate.

"So you're not going to try and finish the job, are you?" Sirius asked as Remus hastily pulled the warm robe over himself.

"I- ah- What?" Remus furrowed his brow and squinted at Padfoot in the bright light.

"Never mind. We've got to get to St. Mungo's. We'll hit the school first so you can grab a sweater and some pants and shoes, but then we have to hightail it outside of the school's no-Apparation zone. It'll be the fastest way to the hospital." He started up a quick pace and Remus followed.

"Wait, Sirius! What's –Who's at St. Mungo's?!" Remus's face drained of all color.

There was no point in avoiding it: "It's Tonks." Sirius glanced back at Remus, whose eyes were on the ground.

There were no more verbal exchanges between them. They reached the castle in short order, and Remus ducked into his office and up to his room to grab some clothes. Sirius took those few minutes to close his eyes; it had been a long night.

Soon after, Remus reemerged and the two Marauders sped into Hogsmead. Once the coast was clear, Remus Apparated first, and Sirius did the same next. The smell of potions and the stench of multi-species death filled Sirius's nose, and he was sure it had hit Remus quite strongly, too, but his friend didn't show it.

Remus approached the front desk. "I'm Nymphadora Lupin's husband," he told the goblin clerk. "Where's my wife?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow when Remus choked the word 'wife' out, but he didn't say anything. He watched as the goblin waved and wand and some papers sorted themselves. A file floated in front of the goblin's hooked nose. "Ah, yes," the clerk chirped. "Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks. She's in the Maternity Emergency Ward. Here," he continued, flicking his wand and passing a note to Remus; if dangled in front of his face, waiting for him and Sirius to follow. "Follow this note into elevator. You and it are going to the same place. Good day."

The two wizards traipsed after the piece of parchment, finally moving at a normal pace. Sirius managed to catch his breath, as did Remus, but it was evident that he was worried.

Finally, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Remus and Sirius stepped out and didn't bother with the front desk. Charlie was waiting for them.

"We've been waiting all night long," Charlie stated as he led them to the others. "Where have you been?"

"Being a werewolf wasn't a choice, Charlie," Remus simply told him. No heat, no sadness. He said it with simple indifference.

They approached a narrow hallway, with a few chairs occupying both sides of it. Molly, Arthur, and Minerva were standing a few meters away from some room, and Ginny was sitting uncomfortably in one of the chairs. The three adults rushed Remus.

"She's in good hands," Minerva told him. "They're doing their best to take care of her."

"How bad is it?" Remus inquired. A scream shook all of them to their bones.

Molly forced a smile. "She's still going through this miscarriage. It began last night."

Sirius was shocked. "She's _still_-?! How can that be possible?!"

"It's the lycanthropy," Remus offered. "I'm surprised she's even made it through her first term."

Minerva nodded. "Lycanthropy is only transmitted through scratches and bites. I don't think I've ever heard of a child born a werewolf."

Remus rolled his shoulders in his anxiety. He sat down a seat over from Ginny. "The lycan blood isn't an allele or any other part of a chromosome. It's essentially a virus that attaches itself _to_ the person's existing chromosomes. Their DNA is…_mutated_ in a way. This mutation curses them with the need to change form in the full moon's light. The radiation from the sun's UV rays during the day is too much, and the moon's reflected light during its other stages isn't enough to cause a reaction, but the amount of radiation from the full moon's reflection of the sun's light is the correct amount to irritate the virus into action. We become wolves simply because that was the other part of the virus's gift; we were handed a bit of wolf DNA alongside the virus."

Ginny, Charlie, Sirius, Molly, and Arthur were overwhelmed with this intricate information. Who knew magic attacked in such a way?

Minerva pursed her lips. "The fetus is still developing even by the end of the first term, but it's obviously closer to what a newborn looks like than earlier in the term, and the fetus has already developed its major organs. In a sense, this young child might have begun to change if it truly received Remus's lycanthropy-infected genes and was developed enough."

"No wonder she's screaming," Ginny murmured, and then gulped.

There was another screech, and then the hall was filled with the average hubbub of a hospital. Remus looked at the doorway to what the others had told him and Sirius was Tonks's room. "I thought I was hard of hearing when she told me she was pregnant," Mooney said with a sad smile.

A doctor emerged from the room, and everyone was on their feet. Remus stepped forward. "You're Mrs. Lupin's husband, I presume?"

Remus nodded. "Is she all right?"

"See for yourself." The doctor led him away from the rest of the gang and into Tonks's room. The others would wait until the O.K. was given.

Sirius released his nerves and wished them on someone else as he plopped his weary (mt: and fucking hot) arse into one of the chairs. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, moving on to pinch the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. He prayed for a wink of sleep, but he gritted his teeth instead when he felt someone standing in front of him. He looked up and saw Arthur.

"You all right, Sirius?" he asked.

The Animagus looked down at his dingy clothes. "Well, it could've been worse, but he didn't kill me. More importantly, he didn't scratch me."

Arthur clasped Sirius on the arm. "That's good."

Sirius half-smiled. "I s'pose…" Arthur nodded and moved away, and Sirius gratefully closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the white-washed wall. The sheep had just faded from his mind's sleepy eye when he sniffed Ginny's scent. A poke in the arm followed.

"Were you fighting this whole time?" she asked. Her blues eyes were glassy.

"Well, I misplaced him for a few hours, but…yes. Oh, don't look at me like that," he whispered as she just looked more and more melancholy. He stood up, slightly winced as blood rushed to his brain, and stretched his arms and legs a bit. "See? I'm fine."

But she wasn't looking at him –rather, where his head had been. "You idiot," she breathed. "That's blood!"

His eyes followed to where she pointed at the wall. It was true; there was an oddly-shaped blotch of blood where he had rested. He involuntarily raised his arm and began to reach around to the back of his head. "But, he didn't scratch me…"

Ginny came to his side and peered at his injured. A hearty gasp escaped her lips. "_Merlin_, Sirius!! It's as if the skin back here was sheered off!!"

"I- Wha-?" He blinked several times in rapid succession, and the others turned their attention to them at the sound of Ginny's worry.

"What's wrong?" Molly asked her daughter.

Ginny hadn't torn her eyes off Sirius. "It's Sirius. He's hurt."

"No, I'm fine. I-" Sirius sucked in a breath and winced painfully when Ginny touched his head near the wound. His sight turned fuzzy and he started to drop as if his legs had given out, but Ginny and Charlie caught him.

"Sirius!!"

"Okay, maybe not that fine…" Sirius feigned a wry grin. "But it's probably nothing."

"Nothing, my foot," Minerva spat. "You probably have a concussion. How did this happen?"

Well, just about _everyone_ was accustomed to answering to that headmistress tone, soo… "He dropped me and I hit my head on a stone."

"_Dropped_ you?"

"He was still transformed. He didn't know that he was holding me by my neck-"

"You idiot!!" Ginny told him. "You said to Charlie and me that you were going to get Lupin. Do you have any brains?!"

"Well, if none have leaked out the back…" His attempt at humor earned him nothing but smoldering looks from each of them.

"How I miss the days of handing you detention," Minerva hissed.

"We need to have him seen to, though," Arthur pointed out.

Ginny glared angrily at Sirius. "Yes. We do." She grasped his sleeve at the shoulder and shoved him back down in his seat. "No more making us worry, you dolt." Although she tried to pour venom into that last remark, the tears were pooling in her eyes, and she subtly wiped them away.

Sirius wanted to say something to console her, but he saw the fleeting speculative glance between her parents and thought otherwise. He heaved a sigh. It had been a long night…

-- -3

"OUCH!! THAT GODDAMN BLOODY HURTS!! Can't you treat me with a little gentleness?!" Sirius scolded the witch treating him.

The hag of a nurse harrumphed as she disposed of the bloody gauze she had used to clean up the wound. Then, she poked him with her wand before repairing the skin with a spell. She walked away afterwards.

"You couldn't have grown the hair back, could you?" he tossed at her, but she ignored him. Sirius cursed under his breath, feeling the bare skin on the back of his head. "Damn bitch…" Sirius walked back to the corridor where the others were, covering his new bald spot with his hand. He forced a smile.

Ginny came up to him. "How was it?"

"Nasty old broad fixed everything but my hair," he stated through gritted teeth.

Molly rolled her eyes in a very Ginny-ish way. "Come here, darling. I've fixed more bald spots and missing eyebrows than one needs to in a lifetime."

Sirius stood still as Molly got her wand out. Meanwhile, he looked at Charlie and Ginny. Charlie shook his head. "Twins," Charlie and Ginny said in unison.

Afterwards, Remus emerged from Tonks's room, and Tonks's parents went back inside. Remus walked like a statue towards the group.

"How is she?" Charlie asked.

Remus smiled, but Sirius knew it was merely a facsimile of a fake one. "She survived. The fetuses…"

"Wait," Sirius cut in. "It _was_ twins?"

He nodded. "They didn't survive. As Minerva suspected, they had started to transform. It almost tore Dora apart." He squinted to keep from crying –_Again,_ Sirius noted. Remus inhaled and leaned on Minerva's shoulder when she offered it. He didn't say anything else.

In time and turn, the others visited with Tonks when she was ready. Sirius, though, turned it down. If Neville had seen that Sirius had noticed what was going on, no doubt she had, too. He didn't want to make anything more awkward than they had been for her in these past twelve hours. Instead, he went to find some food.

The gray-eyed wizard wandered the halls, tuning out the occasional screaming and snarls and blasts from the other rooms in the hospital. He wasn't really hungry –his appetite had died long ago –but he felt he had to do something. Anything to keep from going crazy here.

A tray flew over his head. He caught it and plucked the biscuit, and released it to be on its merry way. He stopped walking and turned around. "We've got to stop meeting like this, Remus," he said in a flat tone.

Remus tilted his head slightly. "Only when the tragedies stop piling up," he retorted with the same sad smile from moments ago.

Sirius didn't feel the need to comment on the other times. "So what happened in there?"

"She _is_ fine. I'm grateful for that, because I at least care for her." Remus clenched his jaw gloomily. "She doesn't even care for me anymore. Not with all she's suffered for me."

The Animagus' eyes widened a bit. "You aren't assuming any of this, are you?" he said in realization.

Remus nodded. "Nymphadora has had enough. She wants a divorce." He met Sirius's eyes. "So much for everything working out for the best…"

"Rem, you know that's not what I meant when I said that."

His best mate held up his hand. "You don't have to assure me. I know, Sirius. I know."

But the dejected look Remus wore hurt Sirius. He wished he could fix everything, but facts were facts. And if Tonks wanted to finish with Remus, then that was it. Tonks was done with Lupin.

-- -3

I can't believe some of the bullshit I wrote. But believable bullshit, because people are probably telling themselves that, "Hey, yeah. That lycanthropy transmission theory makes sense." Actually, _I_ kinda thought it sounded plausible, but…heh.

Also, I did it. I ended TonksxLupin. Yes, I did. But things are gonna keep rolling, people. And someone else's animosity is going to bloom, but it won't last for long –or will it? Hah! That's a double meaning and I didn't even realized it! Ooh, I can't wait to write more!!

So you guys keep reading and reviewing, OK? :DDDD

MAN, I can't wait!! On to chapter nineteen!!

-mew-tsubaki

P.S. –Tonks was in her second term, it that was confusing for any of you. That explanation was a little wordy, even for me. Heh. I'm sorry, but this chappie would've been up at the end of August, but school started up again, and things have been hectic, so please bear with me –and REVIEW!!


	19. 19th Telling, 2nd Wilt

To the Future

To the Future

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- CAR SCREECH AND CRASH I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

-- -3

The Second Wilt (& the Nineteenth Telling)

It was finalized barely a week after things had calmed down. The night Sirius, Remus, Charlie, Minerva, and Ginny had returned gave Mooney little time to himself, as he had classes the next day. Luckily, though, Sirius had been allowed to take some of Remus's classes of his back. For that, Remus was eternally grateful.

Things had been rough for Remus. It was no wonder that things had settled with Tonks so quickly. As it turned out, Tonks had talked to her parents beforehand and they had helped her assemble the appropriate documents. All that was left was Remus's signature, which he numbly provided. He _had_ skimmed over the fine print, but Tonks wasn't asking for anything save to be rid of him, so Remus complied. He cared for her enough that, if being separated from him would make her happy, then he would comply.

But not everyone was willing to force their hands for someone else's happiness.

-- -3

"I took your advice."

Sirius looked up at Neville, tearing his attention away from his breakfast omelet. "You what?"

Neville faced forward, displaying a confident grin. "I met with Luna and had a sit-down with her. She was surprised when I said that I wanted to date other women, but she shrugged and said if that's what I wanted, then she couldn't tie me down." The Herbology teacher was thoughtful for a moment. "I guess it was easier than I thought it would be, but now that I think about it-"

"Here's some more advice: Don't dwell on it," Sirius interrupted.

"Yeah, you're right… Actually, the day after, I bumped into Parvati Patil and, uh…" Neville blushed.

"Parvati Patil? Didn't Harry take her to the Yule Ball back in your fourth year? Or was it her twin…?"

"Harry and Ron took the Patil twins, and I took Ginny," the boy answered.

Sirius disregarded that irksome piece of history.

"But what's amazing is that I bumped into her, we chatted for a bit, and –the next thing I knew –I was asking her out. Can you believe it?" The smile on Neville's face stretched from ear to ear.

Sirius nodded. "It's good that your balls have finally dropped, Neville."

Neville's jaw dropped, as well.

As the Herbology professor was too stunned to say anything else, Sirius gladly returned to his breakfast –until he was interrupted again. This time, it was a nasty shove that came to his side opposite Neville. The Animagus bit down on his tongue accidentally. "What?!" he spat.

Charlie glared at him. "You're despicable."

The other wizard calmed down. "I'm not one to force people, Charles. Ginny _did_ hate me for a time." He studied the Weasley boy for a minute. "You haven't told anyone," he gathered.

"You forgot to add 'yet' to the end of your sentence, Black," Charlie shot back. "Besides, it may be that Mum and Dad noticed her one-eighty in attitude towards you." Fury radiated off him as he pointed a finger at Sirius. "There won't be anything left to yip about for long, you mutt." Charlie turned, not bothering to keep his long robe sleeve from smacking Sirius in the face, and exited the Great Hall.

Sirius grimaced, finding he was now without an appetite. Unfortunately, Charlie was most likely on the mark with his assumption. The wizard wondered himself how _Minerva_ could not have seen him and Ginny, but Ginny's grades in his class might come into question, and Sirius doubted if he would be the one proctoring her Defense Against the Dark Arts exam. He hoped she would still be allowed to _take_ it, even.

-- -3

The period before lunch was Divination. Ever since that strange encounter with Trelawney resulting in an ominous prophecy, Ginny got goose bumps when she walked into the Divination chambers. The class had taken a break back in April to learn a bit about palm-reading, but now they were back to rune stones. Ginny wanted to gag every time she touched the cursed bone rocks.

Trelawney cleared her throat. "Now, class, we've been working with simple interpretations and slogging our way through the medium ones, but I think you're now at a ready enough level for the tough ones." She tossed some rune stones on her table and peered at them through her large glasses. A strange noise escaped her. "With the harder ones, you have to look for hidden meanings. Look for those and even the most puzzling of predictions will present themselves as clear as glass."

The oddball of a woman turned around, waved her wand, and scrawled something on the board.

"When in doubt, substitute words. Yes, you have to be careful since you might come up with just about anything, but it's somewhat of a sure-fire way to read the rune stones. For example, a number might mean someone's age, birthday… Maybe even what number child they are in their family. A flower might suggest someone's name or what they'll be attacked by." She obviously didn't hear the snickers as she blathered on: "A color might exist to describe a person's physical attributes, like their hair, skin, or eye color." There was a clatter in the middle row. "Are you quite all right, Miss Weasley?"

Ginny picked her textbook and notes off the floor and resituated herself at her table with Mira. "O-Oh, yes. I'm fine, professor."

Trelawney blinked mysteriously, and then continued her lecture. "An animal, like a dog, might also describe someone's physical characteristics…"

-- -3

"Goddammit, spill, Ginny!!" Miraphina hounded her after the bell rang and they headed for lunch in the Great Hall. "I would hope that you learned from last time that it might favor you if I know what's going on in that head of yours." When Ginny didn't respond, Miraphina huffed. "Bollocks!!"

"Aren't ladies supposed to watch their language?" Raven threw at Mira when the gang had settled for the meal.

"Seeing as you aren't one, I don't see how it should concern you," Mira retorted. She stuck her tongue out as an afterthought.

Meanwhile, Ginny was engrossed in her Divination notes. Mavrick furrowed his brow. "Ginny, you've been acting weird lately."

"Don't you mean she's just being herself?" Raven offered. "She's always weird."

Mav rolled his eyes and ignored his girlfriend's comment.

The redhead, however, was busy scribbling the prophecy on a piece of scrap paper. Her eyes roved over each and every word, thirsting for each and every letter. _The color of the night is obviously black,_ she reasoned. _It's the first thing that comes to anyone's mind._ 'Mist' was tough, though, so she sought her friends' help. "Hey, guys."

Raven mock-gasped. "She speaks!!"

Ginny ignored her. "What color would you say mist is?"

"White," Mavrick answered.

"Isn't it kind of silver?" Mira inquired.

The Quidditch captain shook her head. "Mist is water vapor, so it takes on the color of its background. Typically, it comes with fog, so one might say that it's a cool gray."

Ginny froze. _Gray._

Mira pouted. "Silver _is_ gray."

"No, it's not!" Raven glared at her.

_Gray and black…,_ Ginny pondered. _They describe Sirius's eyes and hair…_ She looked at the line mentioning the 'flaming sky'. Dread filled the pit of her stomach. _The sky's blue,_ she realized with trepidation. _'Flaming'…_ "And flames?"

This time, there was no dispute. Mav, Rave, and Mira all said it in unison: "Orange."

The girl covered her mouth with her hand, very queasy. She read over her first sentences, the original words Trelawney had spoken:

_"The night and mist shall gather at the height of tribulation to save the flaming sky! If failure succeeds, more than one will be lost! If the night and mist vanish, the flaming sky will be snuffed out by eternal mourning!"_

Underneath was Ginny's…translation:

_"Sirius tries to save me when I'm in trouble. If he can't do it, then I and many others will die. If he dies to save me, I'll never be the same again."_

Nigel peered over her shoulder. "What's that you have written there?" he asked.

She hurriedly covered her script, at once feeling all eyes on her. She looked up –and locked eyes with Reaves. It was the first time she had ever seen a hint of emotion in his jade eyes –_concern,_ she concluded. Of course, why wouldn't he be concerned? She was sure that all could see the tears brimming over the edges of her eyelids. His mouth parted slightly as if he wanted to say something, but Ginny tore her eyes from his when Mira spoke to her.

"Ginny, you look-"

"I'll see you guys later," she spluttered, not stopping to notice that her words had almost come out as one. She stuffed her things into her rucksack and sped out of the Great Hall, taking little care to not bump into others. Ginny was a ghost as her feet carried her without her knowledge to the hall where the Room of Requirement existed. Her head down and feet going at an excess of five miles per hour, she literally crashed into Sirius before recognizing that he was there. She blinked as she looked up at him.

"I was just on my way down to lunch," Sirius stated. "You look like you've been given the Dementor's Kiss." He brushed the hair away from her face.

"Don't…," Ginny started to say, but her mind was a puddle of mush. Tell him to not save her, and have others die as well as herself? Tell him to die for her? What was up was down, what was right was wrong. And she was powerless.

"Don't what?" he pushed.

She closed her eyes. "I received a prophecy from Trelawney after Christmas vacation." Ginny breathed and didn't open her eyes, but she could sense he was listening. She knew him so well. "She told me something cryptic: 'The night and mist shall gather at the height of tribulation to save the flaming sky. If failure succeeds, more than one will be lost. If the night and mist vanish, the flaming sky will be snuffed out by eternal mourning.'" Again, another inhale. "I did the interpretation, Sirius. If you try to save me when I'm in trouble, than you could die!!" At the last word, her eyes flew open and she stared at him with glassy eyes.

His jaw was firm. "But if I don't, you'll die," he pointed out.

She bit her lower lip. "I don't want to lose you," she whispered.

To her surprise, he laughed. "Ginny, get real!! This 'prophecy' is a bunch of crap!"

"Trelawney predicted Harry's parents' death," she spat angrily.

He turned somber at the mention of his best friends. "I know that, but _that_ prophecy could have also pointed to Neville, as I recall hearing from Harry himself."

"You don't believe me!!" she shouted, aghast.

"I believe Sybil hit her sherry bottle collection early that day she gave you this scare, Gin."

"And what if you were in my shoes?!"

"It wouldn't matter as this is just a silly fortune-telling!!" he roared back.

She slapped him. "Can't you see how scared I am that it might be real?!" she rasped.

He softened and tried to wrap his arms around her. She slumped in his arms, only to squirm back out a split-second afterward. Sirius groaned. "Ginny, don't start this…"

"I love you, Sirius, but I don't want you in danger."

"I'm not _in_ danger!!" He glared at her and rigidly set his jaw. "I care for you more than I think you know," he said vehemently, "but I wonder just how much you care for me."

Instead of regretting her words, she flared her nostrils. "How could you even _think_ that I don't care for you?! After all you've done for me-!!"

"Exactly!! After all I've done for you, I've been waiting for the favor to be returned, but _you-_!!"

"SILENCE!!" a third voice boomed. Ginny and Sirius turned to see Dumbledore standing at the opposite end of the corridor. "Professor Black! Miss Weasley! In my office –now!!"

Dumbfounded, the couple forgot their present quarrel and involuntarily followed the headmaster. Once the spiral staircase door closed, Dumbledore motioned for them to sit. They did as instructed.

"I heard tales of a forbidden romance in that hall from some of the paintings," he stated indifferently, hands clasped on his desk and eyes meeting both of theirs'. "While I admit I am a fan of love –it being a person's greatest asset –I also I admit that there is a time and place for everything. Sirius, Ginevra, you two might have done better to choose another place and time in the future, but your actions call many things into question: your ability to teach here, Sirius; your grades in his class, Ginevra; even the relationships of the other students with their teachers." He looked at them over his half-moon spectacles. "It hurts to say it, but this is a scandal. Luckily for you both, one that hasn't been blown out of proportion."

At that moment, the washed-out form of Remus entered the room. "You called, Albus?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I need you to take over the Defense Against the Dark Arts class for the seventh years. Your fourth years will be handed to Sirius, and I need you to test Ginny on her knowledge of the class so far."

Remus did a double-take. "Wuh- I- Yes, headmaster." Mooney glanced at Sirius, who humbly lowered his gaze. So, Sirius would tell him later.

"That is all, Professor Lupin. You may go." Dumbledore waited until Remus had left to continue his reprimand. "Ginny, I have informed your parents-"

"No!!" she gasped.

He overlooked her interference. "I have informed your parents," he repeated, "about the situation. I cannot say they were entirely shocked, but I am sure they were not the only ones who noticed a change." Dumbledore sighed. "I wish I did not have to do so, but there will be distance Charm set in place. You two are to not be within twenty meters of each other, at least until after the school year is over." He frowned. "I am truly sorry."

Ginny's faced mimicked Sirius's; both were utterly shell-shocked. Barely five minutes ago, they had been yelling at each other. Now they were forbidden to even be near each other. The nasty remarks of earlier were suddenly very much regretted.

Dumbledore's sad tone broke the silence. "Miss Weasley, you have classes to return to. You may leave first."

The redhead stood numbly and trudged to the door. Almost automatically, she felt the Charm in place. It was like a pressure pushing against her back, separating her from Sirius. …How long would this pressure be there, really?

-- -3

Yowza! Whatta whirlwind! I can't quite believe it myself!! Ha ha! Although now I'm sad. But not for long. I know what I'm doing with Ginrius, peoples, so don't go a-massacring me, okies? :)

Also, when it comes to LunaxNeville: Don't you think that if both are unhappy in the relationship, that someone should just come out and state it? I'm sure Lune understands; besides, who knows what great love adventures lie in waiting in her future? Ahh, the foreshadowing… But seriously.

So, hope you reviewed and are anxiously awaiting chapter twenty, my fans! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!

-mew-tsubaki :D


	20. 20th Telling, 3rd Wilt

Chapter 30: Struck By Lightning

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Third Wilt (& the Twentieth Telling)**

Ginny collapsed in a heap on her bed that night. Why did Fate toil with her so? Mira and Charlie had discovered her and Sirius, one of her good friends had just suffered a terrible miscarriage, Sirius had been seriously hurt (in her mindset, at least), she had discovered that one of them might possibly die, she had that ridiculous argument with him, Dumbledore discovered them, now her parents knew… And that was just the past two weeks!

Sullenly, she stood and folded her arms on the windowsill, resting her chin on top of them. The ebony backdrop that was the night was beautiful at this hour, shining like a puddle of ink flecked by pieces of snow white parchment, the stars. It was a sight so lovely, it almost took Ginny's mind off things. Almost.

While the other Gryffindor girls came in and readied for bed, the redhead did the same. What had turned into one of the longest days of her life would probably end with a short, sleepless night.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

Remus hanged his head in shame for Sirius the next day. "Please tell me you haven't…_touched_ her, mate."

Sirius whistled. "In any other situation, I might be expected to say, 'Oh, I wish I could tell you that.' Not only is that not true, but I wouldn't dare spout that nonsense." He displayed a wry smile. "Damn, that girl-"

Remus turned sickly green. "Oh, Merlin! Don't go giving me _details_!"

"Yes, well, I'm sure you can make an estimated guess since you know of the birds and the bees," he stated, changing his tone to a sing-song one. "Remus knows of the birds and the bees, and the Whomping Willow tree…"

"Stop that terrible singing!!"

"All right, all right…" Sirius finished retrieving the books Remus was lending him for the fourth years' class. He paused for a moment. "You really hadn't caught on, had you?"

Remus flushed. "In all honesty…no." He grimaced. "I guess I haven't been much of a friend to not have noticed a change in you. I just-" The werewolf ran a hand through his hair. "Must've been preoccupied with my own life."

"As well you should be," Sirius commented. "When someone is involved in all lives but their own, they're just running away from their problems."

Remus glared at him. "What's with all of the common sense you've been driveling these days? You're not much of an academic."

"I ascribe it to too much free time on my hands," Sirius answered flatly. Another moment passed in silence. "Erm… You don't think that you could possibly set up a little meeting with Gin for me?"

"I'm not much of a rule-breaker, Sirius."

"_Please_…?"

Remus sighed. "…Fine. But I'll be present. The Charm's effects are more like…side-effects, really. I don't think you'd want to experience them."

Sirius felt triumphant. "Yes! Wait. What side-effects? You mean it might do more than just keep us away from one another? Remus! Tell me!!"

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

As it turned out, the rest of the week passed without any such meeting between Ginny and Sirius. Ginny had a similar idea in mind, but she was hoping for Sirius to make the first move. Merlin! All men were alike!!

Although, that Sunday proved to work out when Remus approached her. He tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

"See you in my classroom?"

His words were few, but Ginny knew he was trying to not verbalize too much. She nodded and he moved on in the hallway. Relieved, the redhead sped to the other side of the castle and up the stairs to the girls' dormitories in Gryffindor territory. With a quick fix of hair and make-up, she felt half-way decent and presentable –more so than she had in a while.

Just as quickly, she flew down the innumerable stairs and stopped. She probably shouldn't be running through the halls looking like a giddy, giggly girl about to break the rules, eh? She gave her hair a quick pat to make sure it was still in place, and continued down the corridor inside the courtyard. Cheers and applause came from the grass. Ginny saw that Nigel, Mavrick, and Raven were performing a bit for the first years. The redhead smiled. Hey, if they could practice at the same time…

_I've gotta get to Remus's classroom, _she scolded herself. She rounded the corner and walked straight into someone. Pain traveled through her nose to the rest of her face, and she winced. "Ow, bloody…" Ginny trailed off when the person she had crashed into didn't move. She gulped and slowly looked up. She had a bad feeling.

And that feeling was bad for a reason. Sturgis Reaves stared her down from his six-foot-plus height. Even though, he said nothing, the eye contact was enough to make Ginny's skin crawl. But he closed his eyes and went around her without waiting for her apology.

She watched him leave with a scowl on her face. How could such a stuck-up guy work with her so brilliantly on the Quidditch field?!

Finally, she hurried and entered Remus's classroom. Ginny still felt slightly agitated, but Sirius was there at his old desk, and her hostilities vanished. She would give anything to be able to rush into his arms right now.

Remus appeared at the bookcase to one side of the room and cleared his throat. He looked like he was an instrument in something forbidden, the way his cheeks pinked. "Erm, I'll, uh, be right over here and I'll Charm myself so I won't listen in, but just remember to stay on opposite sides of the room, okay?" He faced the bookshelf and Charmed both the room and himself. Ginny saw Sirius relax a little.

Sirius gave her a smile from across the room. "Not how I imagined things would turn out," he commented.

"Yeah." Her mind raced with things to say, but her throat trapped all her words. She suddenly felt self-conscious and uncomfortable. Not even because Remus was there. Ginny knew the room was sealed off to everyone and that Remus wasn't listening in, but suddenly…

"Gin…?"

She looked up and saw the concerned, puppy-dog expression on Sirius's face. That was it. Suddenly, she couldn't say anything to Sirius. It was as if she could blab everything to the school right then and not care, but talking to Sirius seemed as though she was talking to a stranger. She shook that scary thought out of her mind. No, that couldn't be it.

"Ginny?" Sirius called again.

Her mouth went dry. But that was all she could conclude. _Maybe I'm too used to having him around all the time that it threw things out of whack to suddenly be separated,_ she thought. Ginny straightened up. "Um, I…" _am so happy to finally see you, Sirius,_ was what she wanted to say. What came out was: "…think I forgot to do a Potions assignment. You know how Snape can be, so I better go get it done. I'll see you, Sirius." Her fingers wound themselves around the door handle, unable to recall the times they entwined themselves in Sirius's hair, and she exited the classroom. Her throat still felt constricted. But what surprised her most was that she didn't feel anything about forgetting to tell him she loved him.

What was wrong with her today?!

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

The rest of the week was pretty busy as May dwindled in days and the next week was going to be June's first. Still, Ginny wasn't sure how her body could've rejected Sirius in such a way. Why couldn't she have said anything?!

"I think you're worrying too much," Mira told her during Care for Magical Creatures. "Riu is definitely the one for you, Ginny. Of course a sudden separation would impact things. It's not you."

Ginny mumbled in feeble agreement. She numbly reached down to catch the blue-capped ellylon, but it scampered underneath an oleander brush. She sighed. Nothing seemed to be going right.

"There's no reaching for an ellylon," Charlie chastised. He shot his hand forward and plucked the fairy from the ground by its wings. "I told you to dive for it, Ginny."

Again, her agreement was muttered, and Charlie frowned. She dove for another ellylon, but tripped and fell face-first into the dirt instead. She went at it again, but Charlie caught her as she fell once more.

Charlie sighed. "Gin, this is all for your own good. Someone like you deserves better than someone like him. Continue with this assignment and don't think about him, okay?" Her brother walked away then, as if he had solved everything.

But he hadn't, and Mira glared at his back. "I can't believe he said that to you!! I don't care that he's our teacher or your brother! I oughta pop him good for that one!!"

"Mira, don't," Ginny pleaded. "It's nothing. He's just protecting his baby sister."

"Don't give me that excuse! He just doesn't know that Riu is your one-and-only! Your other half! Your soulmate!"

"Mira, stop!" Ginny yelled at her. She huffed a bit and looked away from Miraphina's stunned face. "I don't –I don't want to hear that kind of poppycock right now, so just stop."

Mira superficially recovered. "Yes, okay. Right, then. I think I see some ellylons over there. Shall we?" Mira forced a smile, but Ginny didn't feel the need to even _try_ to smooth things over. Things were screwed up enough as they already were.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

Remus approached her three more times the following week, but each time Ginny came up with some sort of excuse. Whether she actually had Quidditch practice or a History of Magic essay to Write, it didn't matter. The werewolf was smart enough to realize that she was avoiding Sirius, and Remus didn't bother trying to make excuses for her. It was as plain as day to Sirius.

At supper, Sirius had lost his appetite. "Life is unfair," he commented.

Remus stopped chewing his mouthful of roast. Watching hi best mate, he was reminded of his own…_situation_ with Luna. But that was different, since Remus knew he hadn't really fallen for –oh, who was he kidding? He _had_ fallen for that lovely oddball, but he didn't know her feelings for him. Sirius, he thought, was lucky, because Ginny loved him. Although, that idea wasn't definite these days.

"Let me try her tomorrow. I'll tell her she has to come, no matter what. Hopefully, she'll show up," Remus offered.

"After that, my last shot will be the upcoming end-of-the-school-year Hogsmead trip. Otherwise, I'll back off until after this school year, when the stupid Charm wears off. Then, it'll be her decision. Maybe I've done something…"

Across the Great Hall, at the Gryffindor table, the same thought floated into Ginny's mind. _Maybe I've done something,_ she pondered, pausing to munch on a biscuit. _Maybe I've done something without realizing it and the rest of me knows what's going on, but my head and heart are still in the dark. Hmm… But what did I do? _Did_ I do anything? I don't _think_ so…_ She sensed a headache coming on, and wished her friends were eating with her. Mira had an assignment to catch-up on, Nigel and Benton were Merlin-knows-where, Mav and Rave were probably off somewhere doing Merlin-knows-what, and –Ginny choked on her biscuit. Speak-of-the-devil, Reaves was sauntering in now. _Please make him sit as far away as possible from me. Please, please, please, please, pl-_

He plopped down on the other side of the table, diagonally across from her, even though no one was sitting near them. Reaves ignored her and started eating.

That irked her. This guy-! Any other time, he stared at her like a stalker or a villain. Now he was ignoring her like they were strangers-

She blinked. Strangers. Maybe he could offer some advice on her problem objectively if he answered like a stranger.

_That might be crazy enough to work! _Ginny finished her biscuit and casually moved her plate to the left so that she sat in front of Reaves. "Hey," she said.

Reaves passed eating, fork mid-air, and looked at her. "Hey," he said.

Ginny had to keep herself from jumping when she finally heard his voice. "Um, I wanted to ask you something…" She waited for a response, but Reaves was back to staring at her. Ginny's cheeks grew hot. "Do you mind if I ask your opinion?" Again, just a stare, so she continued. "Have you ever been so passionate about something and then lost interest when it was taken away from you? Like it becomes alien to you? … No…?" She furrowed her brow in exasperation, and ended up glaring at him. "Look, I know you speak."

He ate a mouthful of mashers.

She gritted her teeth. "Fine, then. What I wanted to ask you is what you would do when something like that happens. But it doesn't look like I'm going to get an answer out of you, does it?"

This time was a bite of roast.

The redhead continued her one-sided conversation. "But I think if you really loved it, then it doesn't matter. I mean, _you_ loved it, right? Doesn't that mean that only your opinion matters? Even if it feels alien, it hasn't changed…" Ginny blinked, realizing she had found her answer. Her smile returned to her face, and she jumped up from her seat. "Thank you, Sturgis!" And she dashed off.

Reaves watched her go, his face completely blank. And then he continued eating.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

That weekend when Remus met her in the hallway, she was already waiting and headed for his classroom five minutes after his head start. Again, she stayed near the classroom doors, but she felt better about finally seeing Sirius this time. Remus worked the spells, and Ginny and Sirius were basically alone.

She was about to open her mouth when Sirius said something. "How are you doing?" He asked tentatively, and she saw the worry lines creasing his face. For some reason, she didn't say anything. Sirius sighed. "Look, I know this must be hard for you. If I've done something, then maybe-"

Her blood abruptly boiled. "Why do you put yourself down?" It came out somewhat like a bark, and he was stunned.

"What do you mean-?"

"Why do you have to blame yourself?!" she yelled. "Why can't you be angry at me or be disappointed with me? Stop feeling sorry for me and blaming yourself!!" She huffed and panted.

Sirius's gaze drifted downward. "Ginny, I'm sorry I've-"

Her eyes went big and she snapped. She threw the doors open and dashed down the corridor, not caring if anyone saw her. Merlin, nothing bloody mattered anymore!

Why did Sirius have to be like that?! Why did _everyone_ treat her that way?! No one got angry at her anymore, or was happy for her! All she ever received was an excuse about people being themselves, and that she needn't worry her pretty little head about anything other than problems pertaining to herself!!

She was running out of breath, but she ignored her lungs' screaming protests to stop. The air stung her eyes and made the tears stream down her cheeks. Her vision blurred, but when her feet slowed down she could make out the Quidditch field. As the Quidditch season was over for the school year, the rafters were bare and no house banners floated in the breeze, so all she saw was brown, mildewed wood.

An urge took hold of her, and she stuck out her right hand. "_Accio broom!_" Her broom came zooming from behind her and she hopped on, using the same spell to call for the chest containing the Quidditch balls. When it arrived, she grasped one of the Beaters' clubs and moved to unlatch the Bludgers. The two black balls spiraled upward and she lost sight of them, but she chased after them and charged into the sky.

Ginny swung around wildly like a mad woman, but the Bludgers were gone. "Dammit! What the _fuck's_ wrong with people?!" she screamed into the vivid blue expanse. Just then, a Bludger hit her in her right side. She knew those ribs shattered, and she began a speedy, but lofty, hundred-story decent.

Her hair flew around her, and her jeans and T-shirt billowed out like the nimbus clouds that filled her vision. The pull of gravity muddled her thoughts, and she began to oddly smile. What had she been so worried about? The sky was so beautiful and the clouds were so…_pretty,_ she thought. She waited for the contact between body and ground.

It never came. When she had been close enough to hear footsteps on the grass, someone's strong arm caught her and they were now squeezing her tightly to someone's chest. They smelled strongly of parchment and maple…

After what seemed like an eternity, the arms loosened a little and Ginny faced her hero. She was almost speechless to see Sturgis Reaves holding her. "Ah-! Bu-! Whuh-!?"

He ignored her and touched her side. She whimpered at the slightest pressure from his fingers. Reaves glanced at her, and she saw in his eyes what she had seen once before: concern.

But that only reminded her of being babied. Her emotions from earlier returned. "Don't you dare ask me if I'm all right!" she spat, but she felt tears pricking the backs of her eyes again. "Oh, damn it… Why should I always get away with everything?! Why can't I feel like a normal witch? Not a hero of the Second Great War, or anyone's baby sister, or a family's last hope for their only daughter. Why can't I just be Ginny?!"

"Ginevere."

The sound was sweet and husky at the same time. She observed that it was a variation of 'Ginevra', but her mind caught up with the present and she realized that the sweet and husky name had spilled from Reaves' mouth. A humbling calm came over her, even her heart, which had surpassed pounding at six hundred kilometers an hour when he boldly caressed her face.

His thumb brushed the tear tracks from her left cheek and his fingers rested along her jaw. Reaves bent down a bit and brushed his lips on her forehead.

Ginny thought it sweet of him, for he was showing how grateful he was she hadn't died. But then he was kissing away the tears from her eyes and cheeks, and she didn't mind at all. Soon enough, she was kissing him on the mouth, and something inside her opened up. It was as if this were a natural thing to do, something not full of raunchy passion but of endearing love. She felt safe and at ease, and couldn't recall when last she had felt this way.

Sturgis pulled away from her and actually gave her a small smile. "Salty," he chuckled.

If he had been anyone else, she knew she would've broken down again. Yet Sturgis made her feel secure, like nothing in either muggle or wizarding world could harm her. He hadn't hated her all this time. He had been watching over her like a guardian angel, and she wondered how long he had cared this deeply for her.

But she wouldn't ask anything of him right now. She finally had the love she had yearned for, one that made her feel, whole, secure, and truly loved. She was at peace.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

**Kinda a 180, don't ya think? AHHH!!! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!! Come on, peoples! It **_**is**_** a Ginrius fanfic, but couples go through all **_**sorts**_** of hardships…and I plan on sending more their way in the next chappies. Hee! … EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!**

**REVIEW, even if you want my head impaled on a stick Vlad-Tepes-style! (real-life Dracula, for those of you living under a rock and not watching the History Channel).**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	21. 21st Telling, 4th Wilt

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Fourth Wilt (& the Twenty-First Telling)**

As soon as Sturgis had fulfilled Ginny's mouth-to-mouth requirements, he had carried her to the Hospital Wing and placed her in a cot, where Madam Pomfrey fussed about her now.

"Are you sure it's just your ribs, dear?" Madam Pomfrey asked her for the umpteenth time. "Your face is awfully red. You might have a fever!!"

"I'm quite sure, Madam Pomfrey," Ginny stated. "I didn't hit the ground. I only got the wind knocked out of me by the Bludger."

"Well you're very lucky Mr. Reaves had been there to save you. I'll go mix up the bone repair potion while you get some rest. You can stay of leave, Mr. Reaves." The nurse witch bustled back to her station, muttering something about 'suicidal sports', leaving the two teens alone.

This time was Ginny's turn to stare at Sturgis. He fidgeted and quickly rose. "I guess I'll go-"

"Don't." The word was faint, but she emphasized it by tugging on the bottom of his ratty old rocker tee. He sat back down, cheeks suddenly rosy. Ginny had been curled up, but she sat up when he stayed, feeling slightly better. "Thank you, by the way."

"It's nothing." A moment passed, and he spoke again. He grimaced first. "Can I ask why you were messing with the Bludgers? You let them go and then-"

"That's right! The Bludgers!" She slapped her forehead. "I forgot to put them back. Ooh, Madam Hooch is going to _kill_ me!!"

"They returned to the chest right as you fell. I closed the lid on them and still managed to catch you," he told her. Sturgis grinned. "You should calm down, Ginevere."

She reddened at the endearment. More than 'cara' or 'caro', this variation of her name was…. Well, to say the least, it was more intimate.

"So why the need for an escape from reality?"

"Ah, that… I think I broke up with my boyfriend." Ginny lowered her eyes to the thin blanket covering her legs, wondering how stupid she sounded blurting that out.

Sturgis was thoughtful for a moment. Without warning, he pointed his wand at Pomfrey's station and uttered, "_Muffliato_!!" He faced her and asked her straight out: "What did that bastard Black do to you?"

Her jaw unhinged. "You _knew_?! But I-!"

"You thought you weren't being obvious? You weren't. I just happen to be more observant than others."

"Yeah, I got that and no, he didn't do anything." She ran a hand through her hair, cheeks on fire. "I still can't believe…. Anyway, I'm sick of being treated like an ignorant little baby. Even Sirius was starting to think of me as an infant, so I… I screamed at him and ran away." Ginny realized her mistake. "Running away… Great –I handled _that_ like an adult. Ugh!"

"He's the reason why you asked me that weird question, isn't he?" Sturgis guessed.

Ginny hugged a pillow and buried her blushing face in it. "…Yes," she finally answered, "but I'm still not sure about him. I-" The redhead stopped and shook her head. "I'm just tired of him, and I don't want to think about him right now." Neither of them said anything else and Sturgis coughed and undid the spell as Madam Pomfrey came waddling over with the potion. Ginny slurped the sludge –and it clicked. Her cheeks burned redder than her hair and she glanced at the sixth year, who also blushed but looked away. Had she really meant her words? What she said was like she was giving Sturgis the 'O.K.'!!

Sensing a similar pondering, Sturgis stood up. "I'll see you at supper," he spluttered, and he exited the Hospital Wing.

The eighteen-year-old witch nearly choked. Sure, she didn't feel as strongly for Sirius anymore, but now she was giving Reaves mixed messages?!! _The only problem, _she thought, _is that my heart is giving _me_ mixed messages, too._

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

"I c-can't believe exams a-are t-two w-weeks from now," Miraphina mentioned to Ginny during Divination three days later. "I-I mean, I was a first year not that long ago! How can I b-be a…_seventh year_?!!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Exams are going to be a piece of cake compared to everything else in my life right now."

Mira calmed down. "How's Reaves been acting?"

The redhead blushed and cupped her mouth in her hand. "Nothing much has changed," she mumbled. "But he's been there for me more like a l…" The word felt thick on her tongue, and she buried her head in her arms.

Mira's eyes widened. "Like a _lover_?!" she whispered giddily. "Ooh, how romantic!!"

Ginny bashfully grimaced. "Yes, more like a lover than the guardian angel he had been. Merlin, why does he have to like me?"

"Like? Just how thick is that skull of yours? The way he's been your silent protector –he loves you, Ginny!! Oh, she grew up so fast!"

"That's not possible!" Ginny managed without stuttering. "Well, I guess it's possible, but –but illogical! There! It's illogical!!"

"You just can't come to terms with it."

"Yup." Ginny stared out the window. "Men are like Divination, Mira. You try so hard to figure them out, once you think you've got it, you're screwed. …Erm, not literally. Okay, _some_times, but…"

Miraphina shook her head. "This weekend's the last Hogwarts trip to Hogsmead. Are you going to patch things up with Sirius, or have a romantic date with Sturgy-boy?"

"I can't even _get_ close enough to Sirius to patch things up with him." The redhead heaved a sigh.

"Sounds like an excuse in favor of Sturge, if you ask me," Mira teased.

"I didn't."

Professor Trelawney sauntered up to them and peered at their scattered set of rune stones. "Hmm… The serpent and the crown… That's interesting. The snake will usurp his father and take his place."

The brunette sniffed. "Yes, I'll let any snake I see know that 'now's the time'." Trelawney walked away and Mira frowned. "A snake will overthrow his da? What kind of nonsense is that?" She looked at Ginny. "You all right, Ginny?"

Ginny had visibly paled, but she put up a front. "Yeah…"

The bell rang and the room was filled with chatter. Ginny and Mira made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts and settled in the back of the room. Their classmates filed in and everyone took out their books, since most of what Remus gave them was textwork.

"But what if Sturgis asks you out for the trip?" Mira asked. "I wonder what you should wear…"

"Stop saying that I'm going on a date with Reaves!!" Ginny hissed, but something inside her was delighted at the idea. Walking with him, laughing at his side, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. She slapped her cheeks to keep her imagination from running wild.

But someone else's was. "I'm sorry. Did you say Sturgis is in love with you?"

Ginny started. "No one said that, Raven."

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Then why has he been _smiling_ lately?"

She gulped. "Um…new broomstick?"

"Uh-huh." Raven turned to Miraphina. "What do you have in mind for outfits? I know his favorite color's baby blue."

Mira agreed with Raven for once. "Maybe a cute short-sleeved blouse and a blue skirt? Or maybe… Hmmn… We need to be careful so it doesn't clash with her hair."

Raven nodded vigorously. "Definitely. We'll go light on the makeup, too. A bit of bluish-silver day shadow, a dab of brown mascara, a bit of lippy, and she'll be set."

"But hair up or down? Maybe down. Y'know, all the better to grasp –OUCH!!" Mira glared at Ginny. "I thought you're not going out with him, so why should you care whether or not we're talking clothes and makeup?"

"Class is starting, you idiots!" Ginny told them, and the three girls faced forward.

Remus gave them a few pages to read, with an accompanying worksheet, but Ginny couldn't concentrate. She was now tinkering with the idea of _hanging out_ with Sturgis, maybe sharing one date with him, but Trelawney had spooked her again with the reading of the rune stones last period. Surely the serpent meant a Slytherin, but there was one detail Ginny was unsure of:

Grant wasn't evil. …Right?

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

When the time for first break came, the Weasley girl traipsed down the path to Charlie's hut and cut around behind it. _Just as I thought. Charlie's not here._

Laurel, however, shimmied to rid herself of her winter scales. The were-dragon sniffed the air and, turning, saw Ginny.

_But Laurel is._

As if sensing Ginny's thoughts, Laurel disappeared into the Forbidden Forest and reappeared as a witch. "Hello, Ginevra." Laurel smiled.

At the sound of Laurel's perfect accent and at the sight of her smile, Ginny's mouth turned up at the corners. "Hi, Laurel."

"May I be of assistance?"

"Did Charlie tell you about what…happened last month?" She almost regretted dredging up the unwanted memories.

Laurel half-smiled. "If you are referring to his discovery of his little sister being in love with his older coworker, then yes, Charles did mention something."

Ginny took the innuendo. "He always throws things when he's riled to that extent."

"I noted that a few years ago." Laurel shrugged her cloak off and tied her hair back. "I take it your present issue coincides with those past events?"

The redhead felt dumb talking to someone with such an eloquent speech pattern. "Not necessarily. But this means you know about Sirius and me, which is what I need a big sister's opinion on."

Laurel did something Ginny did not expect: She crimsoned. "While I appreciate the sentiment, I am not actually your sister-in-law, Ginevra."

"You're Charlie's mate, Laurel. That goes deeper than any marital bond." When Laurel didn't protest, Ginny continued. "I have a problem, though…."

"I'm listening."

After making her brother's mate swear not to tell Charlie anything, Ginny related to Laurel the stories of the prophecy, the two wizards at Hogsmead, Grant's strange behavior and disappearance, and Trelawney's serpent reading. Fifteen minutes passed, and Ginny had finally run out of breath. "I'm worried that something big is going to happen," she finished.

Laurel closed her eyes, dwelling on this information. "Yet the faculty is not worried."

The girl bit her lip. "Sirius pointed out the same thing."

The woman grimaced. "If Dumbledore sees nothing out of the ordinary, then there is probably no reason to panic. My advice to you is to watch your back, though, here at Hogwarts as well as at the last trip into Hogsmead. Grant may be your best mate, but we know one thing for sure: We do not know much about him."

Ginny didn't want to consider the possibility of Grant's evilness, but she understood Laurel had a point. Not even his girlfriend knew any of his secrets.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

**OKIES! Shorter than chappy 20, I know, but this was for effect, and 22 should be a bit longer. Hmmm… Who knows how long I'll be able to drag Ginurgis out? Hmmm… Anywho, the next few chappies are central to the storyline and many things happen and change. You might even be shocked! *feigns horror* See you after you review! And sorry it took so long to get this bit chappy up!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	22. 22nd Telling, 5th Wilt

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Fifth Wilt (& the Twenty-Second Telling)**

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Mira commented at lunch the day before the last Hogsmead trip.

Raven glanced at her. "Hurl _THAT WAY_!" she exclaimed, pointing away from her and at Nigel.

Nigel turned a sickly shade of green. "H-Hey! No fair!!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine, Mira."

Miraphina shook her head. "Not true. I mean, look at the quantity of notes amassed just for Potions!!" she complained, waving at her one-inch stack of parchment. "There's no way I'll be able to remember all of this for the Potions N.E.W.T.!"

Mavrick rubbed his eyes and closed his level seven arithmancy text. "I don't even want to hear you whine about Potions…"

"Even History of Magic will be hard," Raven stated. "Has anyone paid attention in Binns' class? Have we even learned anything?"

"Don't you have notes to refer to?" Nigel inquired.

Raven stared at him, sighed, and loosed her hair. "Gone are the easy days of O.W.L.s…"

"That's not true!"

The Keeper ignored him. Her eyes flashed wide open and alighted on Ginny. "Seems like you already chased him away."

Ginny frowned. "He's just not at lunch right now. Did it occur to you that he might be doing an assignment?" At that, Ginny recalled his rescue of her. She had smelled parchment and maple. The maple had been from his Zephyr Flyght, but the parchment… Well, he seemed very intelligent, and now she figured that it was because he was a hard-working student. _Hmm… A hard worker… A good quality to have in a –Shut up, brain!!_

"Actually," Mavrick interrupted, "Reaves is working on a paper right now, so Ginny hasn't broken his heart yet."

Her aghast face turned on Raven. "You _told_?! Who else did you tell?!"

"Yeah, I told him, but-" Raven replied.

"I already knew what was running through his mind," Mav interceded. "Sorry, Gin."

The redhead rested her chin on her arms. "Sure, sure…" Absentmindedly, she allowed her eyes to wander to the staff table. Sirius hadn't changed; he looked as miserable as ever, but Ginny felt the same way he looked. Why couldn't she have stayed with him, happily ever after?

She blinked and hid her face in her arms before her friends noticed her blush. Yes, she wasn't with him anymore, but this had been the first time she had thought of marrying Sirius. Okay, not the first time, but she had kinda assumed since Christmas that they would be together forever and end up married. _Whatever now,_ she sullenly thought. _Those are the reveries of old…_

The bell rang, and all the students scurried to reach their next lessons. Ginny had a break, so she was in no real hurry to leave, but she couldn't tear her eyes off Sirius' desolate figure. She was starting to truly regret her words to him…

Mira tugged on her sleeve. "Gin, are you having second thoughts about Riu?" She furrowed her brow in concern.

Ginny dropped her gaze to the floor. "Yes."

The brunette gnawed on her lip. "I don't want to sound pessimistic, but… If he was really fighting for you guys, wouldn't he retain his devil-may-care attitude and have gotten you two out of this mess by now?"

The Weasley girl didn't reply, because she _had_ been thinking the same thing. Before, Sirius would've made everything right, but it seemed like he didn't care about their relationship anymore. He was tired of her. And if he was tired of her, didn't she reserve the right to have a life after him?

"…so you guys need to smuggle me into the Gryffindor girls' dormitories. Then we can start our planning."

Ginny went cross-eyed at Mira's declaration. "Wha-?! Why are you planning on-?!"

Mira and Raven hooked their arms through Ginny's, grinning impishly. "We've got to go through your wardrobe to lay out your outfit for tomorrow's date, of course!" Raven stated.

Ginny blushed furiously. "I told you, I'm not-"

"Ah! There you are!!"

The interruption this time came from Sturgis. She turned around, unlinking from Mira and Rave, and stepped towards him. He was out of breath. "Were you looking for me?"

"Yes, I-" His lips transformed from a smile to a flat line as he glared at eavesdropping Mira and Raven. Sturgis placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder and led her a few meters away. He spoke in rushed, hushed tones. "I was hoping you would consider going with me on tomorrow's Hogsmead trip."

Her mouth dropped open, forming a perfect O. "Eh –ah, as in, a date?"

"Exactly like a date." With no prying ears and eyes around, he gave her his true, warm smile…

…which melted her buttery legs. Without giving it more than half a minute's thought, she excitedly answered, "I'd love to!"

Sturgis' smile was infectious, and she felt his warmth fill her up. Ginny met his eyes, though, and realized he was restraining himself from giving her even a peck on the forehead. Just then, the second bell rang, and they noticed how quiet the halls were. Sturgis chuckled. "The first time I've been late my whole life… Well, if I'm already tardy-" He followed through on his feelings and kissed the top of her head. "Later, Ginevere." The sixth year backed off, and sprinted down the corridor.

Ginny turned around. "You can stop hiding now," she called out.

Raven's grin was triumphant. "_Now_ may we use our break to plan for tomorrow?"

"Thought you'd never ask!!" She ran ahead and linked her arms through theirs again, and the three girls ran all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Raven raced ahead Ginny and hauled the redhead's trunk out from underneath her bed. She grunted. "Jesus, Joseph, and Mary! What do you have in here?!"

"No, wait!! Don't-!"

But Raven had already unlatched the lid and was dumping the contents onto Ginny's bed. She spread things out and laughed. "What, do you have all of your belongings here?"

"Yes, I do."

The room went deathly quiet. Raven didn't blink and Miraphina released a nervous scoff. "You're kidding, right? Aren't you going back home after graduation?"

Ginny stuffed some family photos back into a notebook. "I decided before the school year began that I wouldn't return to the Burrow. I'll live on my own after school. If I save up enough money, I'll travel. But I won't go back home."

Silence filled the room again. "I don't know if you like Brighton," Raven mumbled, fidgeting with her skirt," but you could always stay with my family. I wouldn't mind sharing my room with a sister."

"Me, too," Miraphina added. "I live in Devon, but I'm an only child, so I think my parents would love to have you."

"And if you stay with me," Raven commented, "I'm sure my brothers wouldn't mind either. After all, you grew up with six, so you're plenty used to high levels of testosterone."

They laughed at that, and Ginny laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes. But the laughter subsided, and the tears came out. "Guys…!" She pulled them into a group hug.

"Ew. I knew I shouldn't have anything," Raven retorted. "Now you've gone all emotional on us."

Ginny smiled and dried her eyes. "But you wouldn't have it any other way."

"'Course not!" her friends said in unison.

Mira looked through the clothes. A second later, her eyes lit up. "Perfect!" Raven agreed and Ginny wondered what these two crazies had in store for her.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

As it turned out, Rave and Mira _weren't_ entirely bonkers. The next morning, Ginny got dressed in the items laid out for her: a sleek black tee, a baby blue miniskirt that left plenty for the imagination, a pale denim jacket that was almost white, pantyhose, and a set of chunky-heeled mary-janes that resembled her school shoes but were more comfortable. She wore her hair down and applied just a tad of lip gloss, and then she was rarin' to go. She waited for Raven to change.

"Are you kidding me? Go on, get! Shoo! You shouldn't keep Sturgy-boy waiting any longer! I'm meeting Mav and we probably won't see you guys at all. So go have fun! Now!!" Raven barked at her.

Ginny cringed. "Yes, ma'am."

When the summer-ish-spring air hit Ginny's face, she shivered. She tilted her head upwards and frowned. It was June, but the gray clouds above and the breeze were calling for a chilly rain storm.

_Here's to hoping it doesn't precipitate while everyone's still in Hogsmead,_ she wished. The other trip-goers arrived, and the group was leaving. She looked around for Sturgis and spotted him at the back. The redhead waited while he caught up.

Sturgis' eyes roved over her entire figure before resting on her own. "You are…amazing."

"What? Can't say 'beautiful' or 'pretty'?" she teased, but she basked in his awed reaction.

He chuckled. "Words cannot describe you, Ginevere." He offered his arm, ever the gentleman. "Shall we?"

Ginny took his arm but grasped his hand as well. Sturgis didn't seem embarrassed like he had been in similar situations, and she was glad. Having Sturgis, having such a calm presence around her made everything feel safe.

"N.E.W.T.s are the week after next. Nervous?" he prodded.

She thought about it. "I guess. The only thing I can do is study and recall as much as I can when I take the exams." Ginny smiled wryly at him. "What about you and your normal assignments? We missed you at lunch yesterday. Working hard or hardly working?"

"Working hard, of course. Finals are pretty tough, but I bet I could pass N.E.W.T.s with a bit of cramming. And it would help if I were a seventh year, too." He frowned. "I turn seventeen tomorrow anyway."

"Ah!" She stopped walking. "You should've told me sooner! Sturgis…"

The tawny-haired teen stared at her, eyes wide open. "I'm not 'Reaves' anymore. Shock."

He laughed as she pinked, and she punched him in the arm. "No picking on me, you giant!"

Sturgis wiped a tear from his eye. "Y-Yes, milady…"

"Hey!!"

The rest of the journey to Hogsmead remained lighthearted. Ginny told Sturgis stories from her previous Hogwarts years, Sturgis filled in some blanks about his personality and answered most of her questions, and plenty of teasing went on. She hadn't been this happy since…

_…November, December, maybe February,_ she noted, thinking of when she first got together with Sirius. She shook her head free of those thoughts. Sturgis had just said something, and she needed to focus and think of a good comeback. She did, and felt a laugh well up in her throat. _Who am I kidding? This is _flirting_, not friendly teasing._ But she couldn't help it. Looking into his big eyes, it was easy to lose herself.

Suddenly, the bustling din of Hogsmead greeted them. Ginny spied the Graces Three and was surprised to see a line snaking out the front door and around the tiny establishment. The place sure had gotten popular in these past few months.

Since the tea room was out of the question, Sturgis offered a suggestion. "How about we pay a visit to the Three Broomsticks? I haven't had a butterbeer in a while."

"That's a good idea," Ginny agreed as they crossed the path and entered the Three Broomsticks. "The last time I saw Madam Rosmerta was before the Second Great War."

Sturgis held the door open and Ginny stepped inside. But then he grabbed her arm. "Ginevere," he coughed.

She glanced back at him and followed his line of sight to the bar counter. And her mouth went dry. There, at the far end of the counter, was Sirius, chatting it up with Rosmerta like he hadn't a care –or a girlfriend –in the world. Ginny chewed on her bottom lip.

Obviously Sturgis sensed her unease. "Shall we go?"

Ginny shook her head, despite her visibly trembling body. "It takes courage to be civil in this situation. We want some butterbeer. What he does doesn't concern me." She grasped his hand for reassurance. "Let's sit."

The two teens sat by a window near the door, but conversing would prove to be quite the feat. The ruckus Sirius was causing from across the room proved that he was either sloshed or about to be.

"You haven't been here in ages, Sirius," Madam Rosmerta tittered (**mt: if she **_**does**_** titter –which is a scary image, actually**).

"You are wonderful, Rosmerta," he stated loudly.

"That's just the firewhiskey talking, dear." Sturgis watched Ginny flinch as Madam Rosmerta approached them. "What can I get for you two? Oh, Ginny dear! How have you been?"

Sturgis was going to just order when Ginny spoke up. "I'm fine. And we'll have two butterbeers, Madam Rosmerta."

The bartender nodded and, waving her wand, produced the two drinks. Then she walked back to Sirius, who didn't notice Ginny was in the Three Broomsticks, let alone with Sturgis. Sirius lopsidedly smiled at Madam Rosmerta. "Speaking of firewhiskey, I'll take another one, Ros."

"No, you won't," she rebuked him. "Two's the house limit. Not only can I not afford it, but I can't have drunks running amok. Now get!!" She said the last part teasingly, but Sirius was sober enough to get up and pay for the service. "Go and find yourself some love, Black," she added. "Be in some other woman's hair for once."

Sirius grinned. "A fiery woman who makes the best firewhiskey around –you're the one for me, Rosmerta." There was a clatter behind him and he turned around, but whoever had caused the noise had already left. And so did he.

The person fleeing, though, was of course Ginny. Sturgis had hastily left money and run after her, and he spied her tearing off to Hogwarts. He sprinted the entire way back and slowed as the sight of the castle grew. He looked around, but didn't see her. But then he caught a glimpse of red hair ducking behind a hill.

Again, he sped up and this time Ginny heard his footfall behind her. She ran faster, but he had longer legs. By the time both could hear the bubbling brook outside the Forbidden Forest, Sturgis had seized one of Ginny's wrists, but the combined velocity sent them skidding to the grassy ground. After a moment, Sturgis partially hoisted himself up off her. "It takes courage to face a situation," he panted, "but it takes greater courage to loose your tears after."

Ginny stared up at him. She didn't release a sob –at first –but two steady streams poured from her eyes. Her arms moved both on their own and at Ginny's command, and wrapped around Sturgis' neck, much to his surprise, and she slightly raised herself from the ground.

_Ginevere… You shouldn't be so miserable,_ he thought. He patted her hair, understanding her feelings fully. "Are you sure you want to?"

In response, she kissed him, her tearstained cheeks brushing his cheeks. He kissed her back, and she him, more eagerly and fervently than she had ever before. Swept up by her feverish energy, Sturgis kissed her again, and trailed passionate kisses down her neck. When his lips reached her collar bone, the touch was so light and feathery that Ginny arched her back. She felt his chest underneath his polo, and was surprised to feel how well-built he was. Some of those muscles flexed so he could bend down to kiss her on the mouth more, and she shivered when he placed his hand on her flat stomach. She moved her hand south on his body and hooked a finger through his belt.

Just when both thought it might really happen, Ginny sobered up. She playfully bit his lip when he kissed her again, and Sturgis looked askance at her.

"You can't expect me to fulfill such a tall order right away, Mr. Reaves," she quipped.

He raised an eyebrow, but helped her up. They rearranged their clothes and there was an awkward pause until Ginny burst out laughing.

"What's with that screwy expression?"

Sturgis rolled his eyes in a very Ginny-like fashion. "You are such a tease," he scoffed.

She skipped ahead of him towards the castle. "I'm sorry, didn't hear you. Was that a birthday wish you made?"

In four long strides, he closed the distance between them. He wore a mischievous smile. "The perfect birthday gift is you."

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**EGADS! HAS GINRIUS COMPLETELY CRUMBLED?! Well, fellow Ginrius fans, find that answer in chapter 24, as chapter 23 is part of the plot. Oh? You like the plot? …Do you even think there **_**is**_** a plot? *sigh* Oh, well… Sorry this took so long to post, but chappie 23 will be good, and 24 will be even better. Let's see if ****To the Future**** can make it to 40 chappies! YAAAY!!!**

**Read and review, loves!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	23. 23rd Telling, 6th Wilt

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

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**The Sixth Wilt (& the Twenty-Third Telling)**

_Ginny awoke the next morning, sore. _That's odd,_ she thought. _My legs feel like jelly… And I don't feel dry like when… _Her eyes flew open. _But! Th-The last time I had sex was back on Christmas with Sirius! I haven't-! For months-! Who-?! _She turned to her left and-_

Ginny awoke for real this time with a start. How could she have dreamed of screwing Sturgis?! She recalled the sturdy, well-built feel of his smooth abdomen. …Okay. How could she _not_ have dreamed of making love with him? Still…

The redhead swung her legs over the bed's edge and padded to the closest window. Golden rays of sunlight peeked over the top of the Forbidden Forest, like outstretched fingers. She sighed and watched the sunrise. _I don't have a gift for him…_ Another sigh was heaved as Ginny vividly recalled Sturgis' words to her yesterday. Unwillingly, she blushed. _Sh-Should I really give…myself to him? Aah, I don't know!_ She leaned on the window sill and stretched like a lazy cat. _…Maybe…_

The witch dressed and waited for Raven to wake. When the blonde sluggishly opened her eyes, she, too, rolled out of bed and changed into some comfy, Sunday morning jeans and a tank top. Then they headed down to breakfast.

Mira and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team were already at the Gryffindor table when the Keeper and other Chaser arrived. The Hufflepuff stood up from her seat. "Good morning, Ginny, Raven!"

Raven was taken slightly aback. "Don't you have exams to fret about?"

The brunette forced a smile. "It's good to take a break every once-in-a-while, Crowley, that way you don't form too many wrinkles. Oh, are those crows' feet I see?"

The Quidditch captain involuntarily felt the corners of her eyes. She glared at Mira. "That's not funny!!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and saw Sturgis smiling at her. She walked over to him and tilted his head back to give him a deep kiss. "Happy birthday," she whispered. He smiled even more than before.

Meanwhile, there were some wolf whistles and cat calls surrounding them. Even their friends wanted to tease them.

"Finally went public, eh?" Mavrick poked.

"Just a kiss? Aren't you at least going to sit in his lap?" Mira inquired, disappointed.

Raven looked at them speculatively. "I'm sure there's more in store for the birthday boy behind the scenes."

They all glared at her. "_Raven__!!!_"

"Can't we just eat breakfast?" Benton piped up.

Nigel laughed. "I agree; I'm starving!"

Just as they moved to sit, there was a flutter of wings and a cacophony of caws and screeches. A hurricane of owls flew in through the Great Hall's window. Morning mail was here.

An ebony hunting owl dropped a gift bag containing new scrunchies off to Raven, Mav received a study guide from his parents, and Ginny breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that Pig wasn't flailing about. Yet a mysterious gray-spotted owl dropped a box into an unsuspecting Miraphina's hands.

Ginny blinked. "It doesn't have a return address."

"And it's not my family's owl," Mira stated. She set it beside her plate on the table and went to undo the dark umber bow.

Sturgis gripped her wrists. "Are you sure that's a good idea? It could have powerful magic."

Mira glanced at him skeptically. "If it was something bad, then it wouldn't have gotten through to me," she countered. Thwarted, he released her and sat back down, and Mira slipped the bow off the gift. "See? Nothing happened." She touched the flaps and opened it –and there was a catastrophic explosion.

Screams filled the Great Hall, and Dumbledore, McGonagall, and the other staff members rushed to the Gryffindor table. Ginny's ears popped and she squinted through the dust and panicking students. Miraphina fell to the floor.

"_**MIRA**__**!!!!!**_"

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The next thing Ginny knew, she was wincing as Madam Pomfrey dabbed at the cut above her left eyebrow. A second later, the nurse witch stepped to the cot beside Ginny and pressed gauze into the long gash on Sturgis' right forearm. The redhead looked around her: Benton had a few bruises dotting his arms and legs, Nigel sported a split lip and a swelling eye, and Mavrick nursed a broken wrist. Raven and Miraphina were nowhere in sight.

Before Ginny could ask the others how they were doing, Dumbledore and the rest of Hogwarts' staff entered the Hospital Wing. Dumbledore marched ahead of the rest, McGonagall whispering urgently in his ear and Snape seething on his other side. Neville, Charlie, and Flitwick were in the middle, with Remus, Sirius, and Filch pulling up the rear. The head master stopped in front of Ginny.

His gaze was so intent that she felt an interrogation coming on, but then his wrinkles broke into a worried smile. "I am glad to see all of you are well."

Mavrick winced when he leaned forward, but he ignored the pain. "What about Raven?" he asked hurriedly.

"And Miraphina, too," Sturgis added for Ginny.

Dumbledore's lips formed a thin line. "I'm afraid Miss Crowley and Miss Atherton have suffered terribly, but they are alive. We were hoping that the five of you could help us piece the events together."

"Do you have any idea who sent a package to Miss Atherton?" McGonagall addressed to them.

Ginny numbly shook her head. "It was unmarked. Sturgis suggested it might be foolish to open it, but Mira stated that it wouldn't have reached her if it contained Dark Magic. She undid the bow and nothing happened. It exploded when she actually opened the box." She felt tears behind her eyes and was surprised she had any left considering how much crying she had done these past months. "What was in the box?"

Dumbledore worded his response carefully. "We are not sure yet, but Mr. Filch has secured the item and the professors Snape, Lupin, Black, Weasley, and Longbottom are going to dissect its remains." At that, he motioned to those five and they shuffled out of the Hospital Wing. Ginny averted her eyes when both Charlie and Sirius tried making eye contact.

Just then, Madam Pomfrey returned with the Skelegrow for Mavrick. He drank it, and the nurse witch turned to Dumbledore. "Shall I wait for the others' conclusion, headmaster?"

"No, you should heal these students. Whatever was released affected only Miss Atherton and Miss Crowley, so their friends can be cured normally." He nodded to them, and exited with McGonagall, Flitwick, and Filch at his heels.

Madam Pomfrey sealed theirs cuts and reduced the swelling in Nigel's eye, and told them that they could all leave except for Mavrick, whom she wanted to keep an eye on to make sure his wrist mended properly. Forlorn, Mav forced a grin to the rest of the gang as they left.

The door clicked behind Ginny, and she frowned. How could everything have been so peaceful and then –BLAM! –everyone was injured?

A soft, warm hand squeezed her shoulder gently. She looked up into Sturgis' eyes. "They'll be fine," he told her. "I can sense it."

"Sturgis is right, Miss Ginny!" Nigel stated. "I bet Raven will be her snooty self tomorrow and Miss Mira will give us her bright smile!" Benton nodded in agreement.

Ginny smiled a little herself. "Guys…"

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As it turned out, Sturgis was partially right. Lunch the next day was just Ginny, Sturgis, Nigel, and Benton, but Defense Against the Dark Arts reunited Ginny with Raven. In fact, the redhead leapt on the blonde when they met in class.

Raven took what was usually Miraphina's seat. "You're going to put me back in Pomfrey's care if you're not careful," she teased.

Ginny grinned, but then the grin slowly faded. "So why are you out? How's Mira doing?"

Raven took out her text and pried it open. "It was some dry potion in the box set to go off when someone opened the box's top. I only got a small dose of it."

"But I inhaled some of that dust, too," Ginny pointed out.

"Yeah, and I was sitting right next to Mira. It didn't affect you or the boys because it was meant to harm only us."

"You mean…the potion targeted muggle-borns?"

Raven nodded. "I heard Dumbledore talking with Longbottom, Snape, and your brother. Lupin and Black had determined that it wasn't the Dark Arts, so the other three tested the dust. Apparently, the potion contained ground nixie scales and snippets of a kelpie's mane. When simmered in Felix Felicsus, it turns the good luck potion into a muggle-born poison."

"Did they figure out how much Mira breathed in?"

"The teachers think she'll be fine, but her parents are here now, at her bedside. She's still really sick."

Ginny grimaced. "I wish Grant could be here for her, too."

Raven's blood boiled, and she had a hard time not jumping out of her seat. "Are you serious?!" she hissed. "I'll bet anything _he_ was the one who sent it!!"

Ginny glared at her. "Keep your voice down! And, no, he didn't send it!"

"How do _you_ know?!"

"I just do!!"

"Then prove it!"

"I will!"

"Miss Crowley, Miss Weasley –keep it down," Remus called from the front of the classroom. There were several sniggers, and the two Gryffindor girls humbly quieted.

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"You're going too far, Raven," Mav told her at supper.

"But it's entirely possible that Selwyn _did_ send it! Come on! Where's he been all this time?"

Even Sturgis was thinking too much now. "His absence _is_ suspicious, even if the teachers aren't worried."

"No one marked it, though," Ginny repeated for the billionth time. "I don't think it was Grant."

Sturgis was thoughtful. "We could always determine that for ourselves."

Everyone looked at him. "What do you propose?" Mavrick inquired.

The Chaser leaned forward so no prying ears could overhear. "Some old pureblood families used to have their wands custom-made within the family. When one of those wands shoots off a spell, it imprints the family crest or coat-of-arms into the incantation. Remove the spell, and the crest's image flashes and shatters. Even though the spell that triggered the explosion was activated, the spell wasn't removed –well, as far as we know."

"If you have the box leftovers, could you find out if a custom wand set the spell?" Benton asked.

Sturgis blinked. "I suppose… I've only ever read about this sort of magical fingerprint, though; I've never performed the spell for detecting them."

"What's that head of yours thinking, anyway?" Raven inquired, eyeing the fourth year speculatively.

"We Bentons are very skilled with our hands. I, Derrov, am the pickpocket of the family."

"That's not something to be proud of, Der," Nigel pointed out.

"But in this case, it is." He faced the girls. "Got a hair pin?"

Raven and Ginny exchanged glances, and the blonde let her hair down. She passed a pin to Derrov.

"Let's go jimmy a lock, shall we?"

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"Ugh… This is such a bad idea."

Raven and Mavrick shushed Ginny, and Sturgis frowned at her. "We need to be more than a little quiet since it's almost bedtime," he whispered to her. "I found the spell. Did you locate the Selwyn crest?"

Ginny nodded. "Five minutes ago. I never realized how many pureblood families exist."

"You mean, 'existed'. Many of them were killed by Voldemort or married into another family and lost their surname."

"Oh."

A creak disturbed the silence. A moment after, Derrov and Nigel poked their heads around the corner. "Didja miss us?" Nigel teased.

The older teens heaved a sigh of relief in unison. "More importantly," Sturgis said, "do you have the box?"

Derrov walked over and placed it in front of him. "They should never have left it in Professor Longbottom's care," he stated.

The friends gathered behind Sturgis. He pointed his wand at the tattered cardboard and squinted at the spell in the book beside the box. "_Incantante Revealo!_" Just as he had hypothesized, the box glowed, and a spoonful of light sparkles gathered in the empty box's middle. The lights melted into one and stretched out like goo, but then the goo thinned into spiraling tendrils and narrowing spikes. A snake wrapped around a sword in an S-shape faded into view. And then the image shattered.

A moment of quiet prevailed. "The crest?" Sturgis managed to rasp.

Ginny nodded and swallowed to rid herself of a dry mouth. "That's the Selwyn crest."

Tension filled the air, and Ginny collapsed in a chair. Raven and Mavrick shifted uncomfortably in their seats, and Sturgis pushed the remains towards Derrov and Nigel. "You should return this before it's missed." The two boys left in acknowledgement. The Chaser turned to his love. "Ginevere…?"

Slowly, she raised her head. Her blue eyes were ablaze. "I don't care who did it. They hurt Mira and Raven, and by hurting my friends, they hurt me. If there is intent to kill, I'll hunt that person down, even if that person is Grant."

"What do you expect us to do about it?" Mavrick asked in disbelief. "We're powerless."

"No, we're not. In fact," she began, standing and placing a hand on the table while formulating a plan, "we're going to the Selwyn residence." Her mind flashed on the memory of the two Dark wizards' exchange. "We'll probably be taking care of something else altogether," she uttered as an afterthought. Minutes passed, and Ginny cocked her head. "Isn't it a little quiet?"

"Oh, you're done?" came an ever-familiar voice. Sirius lifted his wand and looked at all of them. "I thought you all knew it was lights out a while ago, but apparently you'd rather hatch diabolical plans."

Ginny stared him down. "Well, if you heard the entire story, then you'll be inclined to help us, won't you?"

Sirius started shaking his head. "I really-"

"Now's the time to grow a backbone," Ginny interrupted. "I'm going to put a stop to this."

Padfoot closed his mouth and rested his gray eyes on her blue ones. "What can I do?"

She almost released her sigh of relief. "Get Grant's home address. We will use the fireplace in Dumbledore's office to get to his house."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Then we'll use the Floo network to get out of the castle and we'll Apparate from there."

His mischievous grin that had been missing for the month returned. Sirius gave her a little bow. "Of course, milady." He turned to leave –and Ginny saw it, that glint in his eye that used to send endless tremors. And was doing so again.

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**A decent enough chappie ending, I think. KYAAA!! A double-post!!! There will be plenty of action in the next one, and maybe also in 25, so I can't wait! WOOT!!! Also, how'd you like the explosion? Will Mira make it? Is Grant the evil behind it? Does anyone lurve Sturgy-boy like I do? WILL GINRIUS MEND?!!! Review and you'll find out!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	24. 24th Telling, 7th Wilt

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Seventh Wilt (& the Twenty-Fourth Telling)**

Everything smelled like blood.

Ginny pinched her nose to keep from fainting. "Ugh! That stench-!!" A hand clamped over her mouth, and she looked at Sturgis, who shook his head. She nodded.

The Floo network had worked after all, and Ginny, Sturgis, Raven, Mavrick, Nigel, Derrov, and Sirius now stood in the basement –what really seemed like the dungeon –of the Selwyn estate and waved their light-tipped wands around. Their backs were to each other, and Ginny recalled the rescue back in her fourth year at the Ministry of Magic. Now, Sirius was fighting beside her instead of being the damsel-in-distress. Sirius the damsel made her chuckle. Both Sturgis and Sirius peered at her quizzically, and she brushed them off.

It was surprising that no one encountered them as they traversed what appeared to be the bottom level of the establishment. There was only the sound of the group's shuffling, and several torches flickered on as they passed, adding to their wand light. The luminescence fell upon the eerie surroundings, and the basement proved to be truly a torture chamber. With full-blown weapons, iron maidens, racks, and guillotines, it was no wonder why the sweet scent of blood permeated the cobwebbed, stonewalled room.

Forty paces later, the group came upon three doors. They all turned to Ginny. "Shall we split up?" Mavrick asked. "We'll be able to find him quicker that way."

But the redhead vigorously shook her head. "No, no splitting up. It didn't help in either Great War, and it won't help now."

"She has a point," Sirius added. "When the Order arrived at the Department of Mysteries that time Voldemort tricked Harry, we didn't split up. We all headed straight for Harry and his lot. And look where that got me." He paused to roll his eyes, but he meaningfully gazed at Ginny. "However, I've saved _you_ before, and I'm going to save you again."

She blushed at his bold statement in front of the others, and was reminded or Trelawney's foreboding omen. Ginny saddened. "Saving and sacrifices won't change the desolate outcome…" She darted her eyes to him, but he was looking forward with his jaw clenched; even now, talk of the prophecy angered Sirius. Ginny knew he didn't like feeling helpless. Neither did she. "Um…let's go down the one on the far right."

They moved on and had to walk in a line, as the corridor was barely wide enough to fit one person. The sanguine scent faded as they got further away from their entrance, but light did not await them at the end of the tunnel. Darkness greeted them instead.

"It's pitch black," Ginny breathed.

Sirius' expression was grimly set. "Everyone stay close together," he ordered, and they all huddled with one another. Waving his wand around, Sirius managed to locate Ginny, and he stepped in front of her. "All right. We need to be especially quiet now, but if you hear or sense or _see_ something, act. We're not here to be sitting ducks after all." After his little pep talk, Sirius continued leading the group.

Unfortunately, they had to move slower this time, for the only source of light was their wands. Ginny hoped the setting would change soon, partially so they could just complete this rescue/annihilation mission, partially so she wouldn't be sandwiched between Sirius and Sturgis. A sound made her jump, and her wandless hand involuntarily found Sirius'. She bit her tongue and tried to take her hand back, but Sirius squeezed it. Heaving an inward sigh, she relented and even warmed a bit in the cold damp when Sirius interlocked their fingers.

But then he stopped, causing a traffic jam behind him. "We've got company," he said out of the corner of his mouth.

Suddenly, the wands weren't the only lights in the room. Two ghastly globes of pale green light loomed in front of the group, and the room grew more humid, but warmer.

Ginny heard Sirius gulp. "Oh, shit. _RUN!!!_"

The teacher and students turned around and ran in the direction from which they had come, but the exit didn't exist anymore. Now, they were trapped in this room with a beast. Sirius pointed his wand behind him and came face-to-face with a wyvern.

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A moment passed where all that happened was the wyvern staring Sirius down. Then, faster than a blink of the eye, the wyvern swiped at the group with its claws. Sirius and Sturgis fell on top of Ginny, and Mavrick and Raven pulled the two youngest out of the way. The wyvern, meanwhile, reared and shrieked. The sound of stretching wings reverberated in the room and told the group how small this chamber truly was.

"Great," Ginny stated. "If we don't take care of this blasted dragon cousin, it'll bury us in the rubble of the room." She dodged a tail fling and ran to Sturgis, who was closest. "Any ideas?" she asked him.

"No, nothing comes to mind at the moment," Sturgis panted, trying to keep a shield up between them and the beast. "Do _you_ have any brilliant plans, teach?" he called to Sirius.

"Yes," Sirius replied. "Survive!"

But that plan was barely working, as the wyvern filled up most of the chamber and they _still_ couldn't see in the engulfing blackness.

Ginny frowned. "It's days like this that I wished wyverns breathed fire!"

"Heh, no, you don't!" Sirius countered. "If that was the case, then we'd be roasted alive instead of being simply flattened or crushed!"

In the meantime, the wyvern thrashed about. It twirled and did a full rotation with its wings opened as much as possible. But when it stopped spinning, Sirius thought he saw something.

But he couldn't be sure. "Make it twirl again!" he shouted to the students.

"Are you crazy?!" Mavrick hollered.

Whatever Sirius saw, so had Raven. "No, he's right. Make it spin again!!"

Both the blonde and the teacher received incredulous looks. Nigel and Derrov exchanged glances, and then the fifth and fourth years ran counterclockwise around the wyvern. The serpentine creature followed them only with its eyes at first, but then it began craning its neck around and around until it gave an angry shriek and twisted its whole body around in two full rotations.

That was the evidence Sirius needed. He thrust his wand skyward. "_Pater Aeolia!!_"

The room was filled with a great wind, and the witches and wizards could barely stay planted on the ground. However, the darkness lifted as a fog would, and the group could now see their surroundings. And the wyvern, too. But the wyvern could clearly see them now, as well.

It roared, and reached for Derrov, but he jumped out of the way. The wyvern swiped at the others in retaliation, but they all, too, dodged the attack. Sturgis gritted his teeth.

"We won't escape at this rate!" He pointed his wand at the beast and opened his mouth to say a spell.

"Wait!!" Nigel hollered. He clambered over a destroyed grandfather clock and a broken table. "Don't hurt him!"

Raven wheeled on him. "Are you _bonkers_?!"

Nigel grimaced. "I think we provoked him, but we're not the real reason he's angry!" The others quieted and so did the wyvern, as if it was listening. "Look at him!" Nigel ordered. "He's underfed and beaten. Dale just needs a bit of love."

The Quidditch captain's left eyebrow twitched. "We've been fighting this thing for not even twenty minutes and you've already _named_ him?!"

The redheaded wizard patted the wyvern's massive leg. "If we show him kindness, I'm sure Dale will let us go."

The others exchanged skeptic glances. Derrov stepped forward. "I agree," he stated.

Ginny and Sirius frowned. "Well…," Ginny began, "since he can fly, he might prove an asset in our escape, so…"

"Just calm him down so we can continue," Sirius said.

Nigel brightened. He turned to the wyvern, who brought his head down to Nigel's level, and stroked its long snout. As if it was a whole new being, the wyvern curled up with a smile on its face, revealing a door they had missed before.

They all breathed a sigh of relief and sped over the oak threshold, slamming the door behind them. Sturgis, Mavrick, and Raven leaned against the door, but they were all panting in order to catch their breaths.

"I guess one could say we winged that, huh?" Sirius joked.

The sixth and seventh years gave him the same flat look. "Not one of your better ones," Ginny told him.

"Yeah, yeah… The question is: Where are we now?"

"I _could_ answer," came a raspy voice from nowhere, "but I don't feel like it."

The others drew their wands. "Who's there?" Sturgis sternly demanded.

"KYAAA! Let me _go_!!" Ginny screamed when a large wizard appeared out of the blue and seized her from behind. She wriggled, but his grip was too strong, and her fussing only put a smile on his lips.

"They told me you was pretty," the Dark wizard mentioned. "And feisty."

Sirius and Sturgis stepped in front of the other Gryffindors, an identical venomous look in their eyes. Their wands were poised for killing. "Let. Her. Go," Sirius spat.

"No can do. She'll only cause us more trouble."

Ginny wiggled a bit more. "How's _this_ for trouble?!" She swung a heel backwards as the wizard walked away from her friends, and her shoe collided with his groin. He howled in pain and released her. Ginny took the opportunity and jumped down, but she landed hard on her right foot, and she winced as her ankle twinged. The witch tried to stand, but by then the wizard had recovered. In one fluid motion, Ginny was hoisted off the ground again, and she and the Dark wizard vanished into thin air.

"_GINNY!!_" Sirius and Sturgis bellowed.

Unfortunately, there was no time to go after her. Just as quickly as she and the Dark wizard had disappeared, eight new shadows entered the room. Eight blasts of green light came their way, but the group moved away from the door and narrowly missed the Unforgiveable Curse. Raven stepped forward and waved her wand in an arch, and the group vanished. When the Dark wizard octet gave up searching for them, they left.

Mavrick stared at his girlfriend, gaping at her. "Where did you learn _that_?!"

"It's a Chameleon spell. My mother taught it to me."

"But you're from a muggle family!"

At that, Raven paled, but she didn't respond otherwise.

Nigel and Derrov stood, and Sturgis steadied his shaking arms. The sixth year faced the others. "We've got to rescue her," he rasped past the lump in his throat.

"Don't state the obvious," Sirius snapped, turning away from the students and marching to another door to lead them further into the estate.

Sturgis observed him. "Are you crying?"

The Animagus brushed his cheeks with the back of his hand. "I don't cry."

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**Not much to say since this chappie ended on a sad note. Altho, does anyone want to know why Raven knows such a strong nonverbal spell? From her **_**mother**_**?! Anywho, look forward to another cliffhanger ending 25. But I warn you it might be shorter, so don't kill me! AND REVIEW!!!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	25. 25th Telling, 8th Wilt

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

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**The Eighth Wilt (& the Twenty-Fifth Telling)**

Ginny landed on her rear and winced. "OW!"

"Don't complain," the wizard barked at her. Then his lips curved up in a smarmy smile. "I could always hurts you more, you know."

She gulped and shook her head.

Harrumphing, the wizard stomped out of the room and shut and locked the door behind him. The only light was that coming from underneath the door. Sullen and robbed of her wand, Ginny curled up on the floor with her cloak wrapped tightly around her.

She sniffed. The room was musty and had a draft, and there was some unidentified liquid to her right. At least there weren't any rats.

_But I wish there was a dog,_ Ginny commented to herself. She hugged her knees to her chest. _A certain dog. One who would hold me right now…_ Before she knew it, she was asleep.

*~DREAM TIME!~ (**we haven't had one in a while**)*

_Ginny awoke to find Sirius there in the room with her. Her first thought was that he, too, had been captured, but then she saw that her friends were at the door. They had come to rescue her._

_Sirius gave her his ever-familiar sexy grin. "Come now, princess. Your emancipation awaits you." He took her hands in his and helped her to her feet, but she didn't leave the room. He met her eyes. "Gin…? What's wrong?"_

_Tears rolled down her cheeks, but her voice was clear. "How can you save me? After everything that's happened, you deserve better. Leave me here."_

_For the first time ever, he glared at her with pure hatred. "You're right. I _should _leave you here. You avoided me, you're too scared of what others will think, you've cheated on me, you probably cost me my job-"_

_She squidged her eyes shut and lowered her head. "I just-"_

_"Just what, Ginevere?" came Sturgis' voice from the doorway. She looked up, heart hammering against her ribs, and saw the sixth year's equally cold gaze. "You used me. I truly loved you-"_

_"'Loved'?" she squeaked with wide eyes, noticing the past tense._

_"-and you used me to try to get to him-" He pointed to Sirius. "-jealous. And just when it looks like you'll have a change of heart, he walks back in, and you're so fickle that you waver. You can't have us both."_

_"But-"_

_"We _shall_ leave you here," Sirius finished, and he led the others away. As the door closed, Ginny caught glimpses of the rest of the team's faces, and saw the unspoken hatred in their eyes, as well._

*~END DREAM~*

Ginny woke for real this time. Her heart pounded faster than it had in the dream, and she broke out in a cold sweat. The redhead barely had time to put her thoughts in order when the door actually opened.

It wasn't Sirius. A woman stood in the doorway, and the backlight gave her an eerie aura. She stepped forward and closed the door. Darkness eclipsed them, but the woman pulled out a wand for light. She found her way to Ginny and knelt in front of her. "So you're her."

Ginny sat on her heels and did her best not to flinch from the woman's alien eyes. "Why did you take me hostage?"

The woman's rustic, reddish-brown eyes were clearly visible since her blue-black hair was pulled back in an elegant and too-tight bun. The sleeve of her black robe dragged on the floor as she poked at the base of Ginny's throat with a sharp, navy-painted nail. "You're quite the piece of meat, aren't you?"

"Why did you take me hostage?" the Gryffindor repeated. Her breath caught when the woman poked her knee and dragged her nail uncomfortably close to the inside of her thigh.

"Well-developed, too." When the woman realized Ginny had lost her voice for the moment, she tut-tutted and smirked. With a flip of her robe sleeve, the woman removed her hands from the young witch. "My name is Iola Selwyn. And you, Miss Hero-of-the-Second-Great-War, are going to be bait."

Ginny gulped. "F-For what?" she whispered.

"You'll find out soon enough," Iola murmured, her nose so close to Ginny's that the girl could feel her breath. Then Iola abruptly stood and resumed a normal tone. "But you'll just have to wait and see." She left on that note of 'finality', and Ginny was alone again.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

Hours must have passed. Ginny estimated it was either morning or midday. Absently, she wondered if the Hogwarts staff was wondering where one of their Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers was. And where five students were (six, if they _did_ become worried about Grant). Lingering on Grant, Ginny grimaced. More and more, it felt like Raven was right. She still refused to believe that Grant was evil, but Ginny's gut feeling was unsure. After all, she hadn't seen him. Well… That could mean either he was doing something else, or he, too, was locked up somewhere. If he was locked up, he might be in worse condition than her…

An involuntary shiver made its way down Ginny's spine. Merlin, the more she waited, the more anxiety built up.

Finally, the wait was over.

Voices conferred outside, and Ginny saw two shadows obscure the bit of light from under the door. "Why did we wait a day?" came one voice. "She's been sittin' in there for almost twenty-four hours."

"Are you going to question your master?" That was Iola, and her question received no answer. "Open the door," she snapped. "It's time, Bartleby."

The door swung open, creaking to a hesitant stop. Ginny blinked to readjust her eyes, but she stumbled as Iola gripped her elbow and dragged her from her holding cell.

Things zoomed past in Ginny's vision, as if she were riding a broomstick. Browns, beiges, charcoals, gray-greens –the dimmed color palette almost made her sick. When Iola suddenly stopped in front of a large metal door, Ginny's stomach wasn't sure if it was glad to have a chance to calm down or angry because it wanted to regurgitate the last meal. There wasn't time to decide as the metal door was thrust open. "Shall we?" Iola asked the other cloaked figures.

About fifteen people dressed in black robes matching Iola's stood in a half-circle around the room. One, in a Death Eater's mask, had someone to his right, but Ginny's view of who it was was blocked. Mask-Man moved, and Ginny's heart nearly stopped.

Also in a black robe, it was Grant.

Mask-Man spoke to Iola. "Good. You're right on time, dear. I've done what I can with Grant, but the ritual shall finish the job. Let's begin."

"Yes, Lord Tersium." Iola dragged Ginny by the arm again, except the redhead was placed at the wall Grant faced. To her further horror, Iola waved her wand and Ginny was fettered to the wall by her wrists. Ginny bit the side of her cheek and tasted the iron flavor of blood, but the pain was unbearable; the cuffs were white-hot, and her wrists sizzled with burns.

"I see you noticed our favor to you," Tersium hissed with pleasure. "Yes, it was rather last minute, but we quickly fashioned some shackles for you." He stepped forward and gave her a swift kick in the side, causing her to topple over. Tersium's coal eyes seemed endless as she peered into them. "You should thank us, blood traitor."

"Bite me," she grumbled.

Tersium was expressionless for but a moment. With a flick of his hand-carved wand, Ginny's sweater, tie, and school shirt were torn down to her navel. He knelt and poked the meaty flesh between her bra-covered breasts. "You may be a blood traitor, but you're still pureblood. Your request can be arranged."

His words hung in the air, and no one dared to speak. Ginny couldn't believe this man had such power over the others, but Voldemort had been quite the same. Still, she wasn't sure she had ever felt this scared in her life.

Thinking nothing of his actions (_He probably does this all the time,_ Ginny thought), Tersium rose and faced his companions. "Tonight is a great night. For tonight, we welcome another pureblood to our circle. We shall induct Grant, my son, into our order of Death Eaters!" Though they were few, their evil cheers filled the room as if the fifteen were really fifty.

"As usual," Iola continued for her husband, "the proper sacrifice has been acquired." Ginny snorted, and –with a twitch of her eyebrow –Iola faced her. "Is there something funny, blood traitor?"

"Sacrifice? I'm going to be offered to some Dark god?"

Iola smirked, though, and stood by her husband's side. The power couple held hands, and Iola stroked her spouse's silvery hair. "You're part of an initiation," the hag of a woman stated, thinking that was enough of an answer.

Ginny cursed under her breath, not willing to waste any more time talking to these pigs. Any rescue attempt would be too late now.

The Selwyns acknowledged her forced silence and compliance. Tersium stepped forward and handed Grant a wand –not the wand Ginny had seen him with at school –one of carved ivory, shaped into a king cobra with its hood out. Tersium adjusted Grant wrist and fingers so Grant pointed the tail at Ginny.

"Go on," the father urged. "Get it over with."

Ginny's throat caught her scream. Grant's eyes were unreadable.

Tersium rolled his eyes and backed off. He and Iola exchanged looks, and she stood at Grant's side. She leaned her bony cheek on Grant's shoulder and lifted his wand arm back up when it slacked.

"We all killed a loved one who wasn't related to us, Grant," Iola purred in his ear. "The first kill is wonderful. It would've been better had we actually gone to the school and retrieved that muggle-born girl you were so infatuated with –I mean, we _did_ knock her out with the package –but your best friend walked right in. You should seize an opportunity when you see it."

Grant squinted his eyes shut, and he shook his head. "I can't! She's my best mate! I couldn't harm her, my friends, _or_ Mira!!" he desperately cried.

Iola scowled and stepped behind him. "Straighten your arm!!" she snarled, clutching his elbow and fixing it for him. "Aim right for her and use the Killing Curse!!"

"NO!!"

"Listen to your mother!" Tersium yelled. "Take the first kill!"

"I-"

Iola shoved the point of her own wand into the base of the back of Grant's neck. "Do it, or so help me Merlin, I will kill you as well."

Grant's terror mirrored Ginny's, and his eyes scanned her face for any hint of a plan. But of course there wasn't one. They were both screwed. However, he swallowed, and opened his mouth. "A-Avada…"

"What was that?" Iola mocked. "I can't hear you."

"Shout it with pride, Grant!" Tersium scolded, standing slightly behind his wife with a hand on her shoulder.

Grant winced. "_Avada Kedavra!!!_"

At the last second, Grant pointed his wand in the direction of himself.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

"Hurry! This way!!" Sirius whispered to his students.

They panted, but kept up with the middle-aged professor, whose fury had awarded him newfound agility and energy. Sturgis was right behind Sirius, and he had a nagging suspicion. "You sense them, too, don't you?"

Sirius nodded, and the other students felt they missed something. "Up ahead," the teacher explained. "Several magical entities –almost twenty, I estimate –are gathered in a central room. Something's going to happen. Soon."

At Sirius' last word, the group reached a metal door. Before they opened it, there was a bloodcurdling scream, and the thud of a body hitting the floor.

The scream was Ginny's. Sirius hoped the body wasn't also hers.

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**YAY! I ended the chappie with the intended cliffie!!! Three cheers for me! … ACK! CHEERS, not **_**CHOKES**_**!! I promise there will be more soon, so REVIEW (maybe ten or fifteen for this chappie alone? please?), peoples! I need to know you care about Ginrius!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	26. 26th Telling, 9th Wilt

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Ninth Wilt (& the Twenty-Sixth Telling)**

"_**GINNY!!!!!!!!!!**_" Sirius roared.

Whatever magical enchantments had held the door, they shattered when Sirius kicked the door down. Immediately, his eyes flew to the shock of red hair that was crumpled in a ball. He sped to her and choked on a sigh of the utmost relief when he saw her back shudder with distressed breaths.

Ginny threw her arms around him, but had energy enough only to crumple again in his lap. She was a mess, and tears streaked her cheeks. "G-Grant-!!" she gasped.

Sirius looked over his shoulder and noticed Grant was on the floor at his parents' feet. But something didn't seem right. He shook Ginny and wiped away her tears. "Gin! Gin, look!"

She did, and blinked her vision clear. Could it be possible? Was that Grant's back rising and falling?

Answering those questions, another body fell. Iola cried out, and down Tersium went. Apprehension deepened the wrinkles on the other Death Eaters' faces. Their leader had fallen.

Taking the chance, Grant jumped up and sprinted to his friends. He gripped Mavrick's arm. "Is Mira all right?" the Slytherin inquired.

"She's still in the Hospital Wing, but she should be fine," the black boy answered.

Raven glared at Grant. "That little extravaganza even had me ill, you snake. I want the details later." She smiled then, and Ginny knew she trusted Grant again.

Sirius finally took a good look at his love. Anger boiled his blood. "Who did this to you?" he said through gritted teeth, mending her clothes and freeing her as he did.

Ginny embraced him, relieved to be back in his arms. "The one who did it fell a moment ago." Sirius jerked his head towards where Iola was sobbing, and Ginny nodded. "But we need to get out of here." Her wand was shoved in her face, and she looked up into Grant's golden eyes. "When…?"

"My dad had it on him when we were preparing for my initiation. I grabbed it when he wasn't looking," he added with a small grin, a ghost of the wry smile he might have given her and Mira months ago. "So let's-"

"NOTSOFAST!!"

The group returned their attention to the Death Eaters, and Ginny watched the hulk from earlier –Bartleby –step forward, as if he were proclaiming himself to be the next leader. The two Dark wizards Ginny and Sirius had seen in Hogsmead on Valentine's Day flanked Bartleby. Iola was too distraught to handle anything, it seemed.

"You're not goin' anywhere!!" Bartleby shouted, and he, Gangly, and Beard-ly drew their wands.

"_Stupefy_!!" Sturgis shouted, and Bartleby was knocked off his feet.

"_Expelliarmus_!!" Nigel yelled, and the other two were disarmed. Derrov quickly follow up with a Petrificus Totalus.

A witch from the other side of the room raised her wand –and the group was shocked. The witch opened her fan-wand, and out shot eight beams of green light simultaneously. One for each of them.

Ginny shoved Sirius off her and leapt up, putting herself between the Killing Curses and her friends. She waved her wand in an arc, speaking, "_Protego Imperviuus_!!" A light blue sphere went up around them, and the spells bounced back. One hit its caster, and Gangly and Beard-ly were struck, too. The Weasley huffed and blew the hair out of her eyes, while the shield faded. "Well. That was different."

Her friends' and Sirius' eyes were wide –and on her. "What the hell was that?" Sirius asked.

"Um, something I just came up with. Glad it worked."

"You used an _UNTESTED SPELL_?!!"

"Heh." Ginny gave him a quick smile and moved around, gathering the Death Eaters into one cluster. "We should call the Ministry."

Raven, Mavrick, Grant, Sturgis all exchanged glances. Sturgis put a barrier around the villains and nudged Ginny towards Sirius. "Why don't you go call the Ministry?"

Seeing Sturgis so placid about Sirius brought a dusting of pink to her cheeks, and Ginny went for the door. Sirius stood and went after her.

"Yes, why don't you two call the Ministry?" Raven taunted. "OW! That was my foot, Mavrick Samuel Mor-" She followed Mavrick's head jerk to Sturgis, whose jaw clenched. "Ah. Right."

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

Sirius found Ginny in the wyvern's room. She was sitting near Dale's snout, stroking it in one direction like Nigel had done the night before. The Animagus thought she appeared awfully calm considering all that had happened.

When he was right beside her, he stopped. "Ginny…?"

She sighed and leaned back against his leg. "I sent a message to Dad and one to Harry, too. Harry's department should have fun with this," she commented, reminding Sirius that his godson's job dealt with cleaning up loose ends of Voldemort's reign. "Are we ok now?"

He shrugged. "Reaves' barrier is holding up, so the Death Eaters-"

"Are _we_ ok now?" she repeated, grasping his hand and squeezing it in hers.

"I don't recall not being ok."

Her shoulders shook with a small chuckle. "That's such a Sirius response." The witch looked up at her wizard with a grim half-smile set in her mouth. "The prophecy came true, you know."

He furrowed his brow. "No, it didn't. We're both alive."

Ginny shook her head. "It wasn't describing us. When I went to Trelawney that day, Mira had sent me to see what her future with Grant was. The prophecy _did_ relate to me in a way, but it described Tersium and Iola.

"Right before you guys burst in, Grant's mother threatened to kill him if he didn't kill me. He spoke the Killing Curse, but aimed his wand at himself at the last second. He fell to the floor, and I honestly thought he was dead. But Tersium had moved Iola to the side and Grant really ducked, so the spell hit his father instead." Ginny inhaled deeply. "'The night and mist shall gather at the height of tribulation to save the flaming sky. If failure succeeds, more than one will be lost. If the night and mist vanish, the flaming sky will be snuffed out by eternal mourning'," she reminisced. "Tersium's eyes were darkest black, and he had silver hair. Iola's black hair shows navy in light, and her eyes are rust red."

"He's dead, making 'night and mist vanish'," Sirius pieced. "So Iola –the 'flaming sky' –will only ever grieve as long as she lives. And no one else dies. Well, with the exception of those three." He tilted her chin up and made sure she saw his frown. "You're lucky that spell worked, love. If you die, I'll bring you back and kill you myself for something as stupid as you just did."

"Ditto for you, love." Ginny stood and stretched, but she grimaced. "There's one thing I don't understand, though. Trelawney said I'd lose you."

"Well, did she say directly that you would lose _me_?"

"No… She said I'd lose 'him', but I figure that wouldn't have mattered. Tersium dying doesn't affect me."

"You read into things too intently, Ginny," he breathed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her hair, inhaling her lemony scent. He paused, sniffing out a separate smell. "It seems you lost me long enough to have maple clinging to you."

She chewed her bottom lip. "I shouldn't have let my emotions get out of control," she admitted, "but I didn't do much. It's just- You turned into such a pansy. You made me so angry, because you became a whole other person. And I saw you with Madam Rosmerta," she softly added, and she hid her blush with her hair.

Ashamed himself, his red cheeks rivaled hers. "Yes. Um, maybe we should ignore the useless flirting that went on –erm, don't you agree?"

"I was starting to fall for Sturgis, you know," she stated, looking up at him with a frown."

"But you wouldn't be able to stay with him for long. I mean, his name's 'Sturgis'. Nothing sexy about it at all. 'Sirius', on the other hand, _screams_ 'sex appeal'."

"Oh, he has sex appeal," she teased, poking his chest with her index finger. Ginny tossed her hair back and gave him an impish smile.

Sirius blanched. "What do you mean? Ginny. Tell me!" She silenced him with a kiss, and he sighed. "No more playing with me, darling."

"But it's fun to play with my food," she chuckled.

He raised an eyebrow. "Is it, now?" He took her face in his hands and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and he held her tightly pressed against him. Again and again, his kisses washed away the events' disturbed cold. She opened her mouth wider –as much as she could –and tasted his sweet, sweet tongue. Merlin! If only they could stay like this forever.

Ginny finally broke away, though, and glanced at his shoulder. "I know there's little more than a week left of the school year, but I don't think I'll be able to stand not touching you."

"At least the Distance spell only works when at Hogwarts," he pointed out, but he was saddened, as well. "Ginny, I was able to be with you just now. A few more days and nights away _might_ kill me, but I don't plan on letting them. After all, I'll have you in the end."

She buried her face in his neck. "You already have me."

Sirius nodded and detached her from him so they could rejoin the others. Harry and Arthur –along with other Ministry officials from Harry's department –were there in the initiation room, and Sirius wondered when the last time was he had seen his godson. Upon seeing Ginny's father, though, he tried to put some distance between himself and the Weasley girl.

"Ginny!!" Arthur ran to his only daughter and squeezed the living daylights out of her. "What happened here?!"

She blinked. "Didn't my friends tell you?"

"Yes, they told me, but did this really happen? You were almost killed!!" He looked at Sirius, who was conferring with Harry on the other side of the room. "How could you have taken students off the grounds?!"

Sirius met Arthur's stern gaze. "They were going to leave either way," was all her could offer.

"You bastard-"

Ginny looked at him, shocked. "Dad!!"

"I'm sorry, but, Ginevra, dear, he is a loose cannon who only wants to be part of the excitement." He stopped. "Don't look at me that way, Ginny."

"But the first thing out of your mouth is criticism! The least you could do is thank Sirius for protecting me –_us_," she corrected. When he couldn't even splutter a response, she turned on her heel and joined Raven, Mavrick, and Grant. Sturgis, Derrov, and Nigel were talking to some of Harry's coworkers.

Sirius tore his eyes from the little spectacle. "Do you even know why the Selwyns were able to get this far?" he asked Harry, looking for a change of subject.

Harry frowned and ran a hand through his hair; his scar was faint, but still there. "Not really. To tell you the truth, my department thought it had taken care of the lower half of the southern quadrant. I admit, they were pretty cunning to have dodged us."

"Ginny's best mate –Grant –He's all right, isn't he?"

"From what we've gathered, yes," Harry answered. "Apparently, his parents' order of Death Eaters forced each new member to kill, but the kill had to actually be willing. Of course, I don't want to know what they would've done to him, Ginny, or any of you, had he down and outright refused."

The Animagus nodded. "I'm glad she's –everyone's all right."

"You don't have to pretend," Harry murmured, meeting Sirius's eyes. "Arthur and I were leaving work when Dumbledore owled him, so I know."

"I won't say 'sorry'," Sirius warned. "I really do love her."

"And if you really do love her, then I have no problem. But I think of her as my little sister now. I have enough trouble worrying about Hermione." Harry stuck his hands in his dark denim jeans' pockets.

_You _should _be worrying about Hermione,_ Padfoot thought, recalling the chemistry observed between her and Snape at the Weasleys' Christmas party. But he didn't mention it. "So you're taking over for Ron?" he quietly asked.

Harry shook his head and welcomed Sirius's hand on his shoulder. "No. I'm in addition."

"Right. Of course…"

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It was late Wednesday morning by the time Sirius, Ginny, and the others returned to Hogwarts. There was quiet chittering, but little excitement, so Ginny figured not too many had broken their concentration while studying to realize that a teacher and the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team had been absent for more than a day.

Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Charlie met them at the gates. Snape was furious and grabbed Grant's arm before anyone said anything. Just as McGonagall and Charlie were about to berate the Gryffindors, Dumbledore held up a hand, and even Snape stopped struggling with Grant. The headmaster cleared his throat.

"In light of the past two nights' events, I think our students deserve some rest," he said. Though quiet, his voice carried a commanding air.

Charlie's face mimicked McGonagall's gaping expression. No one dared to protest, however. Even Snape released Grant.

"Rest until supper," Dumbledore continued, "and I would like to see all of you in my office after tonight's meal."

Harry, who had escorted them, gave a nod to Dumbledore. "Professor, if you would, I can inform you as to what happened."

The headmaster extended an arm out. "Lead the way, Harry. As I hear, you also must inform me of wedding details."

The Boy-Who-Lived smiled and headed back into the school first with the headmaster. Sirius threw a sideways glance at Snape, who glared daggers at Harry's back. Padfoot coughed, and Snape scowled at him.

"What are you staring at, dogbreath?" Snape spat. He grabbed Grant again and hurried off before Sirius could respond. The Animagus merely rolled his eyes, and followed his coworkers and students into the castle.

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Ginny and Raven parted with Mavrick, Sturgis, Nigel, and Derrov in the Gryffindor Common Room. The girls slowly trudged up the steps to the girls' dormitory, and Raven collapsed right on her bed, not bothering to change.

Her friend jostled her shoulder. "Raven, at least put on your pajamas. You don't want to sleep in your uniform; it's dirty."

"But I'll dirty my pajamas," the blonde retorted, still face down in her pillow.

"Not if you take a quick shower."

"I don't even have the strength to sit up, you twit."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll take a quick shower and be right back. Okay?"

All she got in response was a rather loud snore.

The redhead couldn't fight the smile. She left the dormitories and made her way to the larger girls' bathroom. While her shower was short, it was a relief for her to feel the scalding water on her back. The muscles in her back relaxed, and she wondered how she didn't realize how much tension she had built up.

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Ginny took a minute and sat down on the couch, staring across the coffee table and into the fire. She wasn't tired, but exhausted, and she found the only thing she could do was gaze at the dancing embers. Ginny couldn't fall asleep.

But she did. When she awoke, it was because she sensed someone had entered the Common Room. The witch tried to ascertain the fragments of her fleeing reverie when she looked to see who had joined her.

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**Hmm. I wonder what I was writing…? Well, I'll figure out who's in the Common Room with Gin eventually, even though the story's been writing itself again. Ho-hum… Well, review and let me what you think of all that's happened –and of GINRIUS MENDING!! BTW: Thanks goes to all of my fans who have stuck with the story. The ending isn't quite in sight yet, but loose ends are going to start being taken care of, so please stay with me! AND REVIEW!!!**

**-mew-tsubaki**

**P.S. –I'm sorry for not posting in a while, but with summer here, this'll definitely start up again. Look forward to 27 and 28 real soon!!! (and in the meantime, go read ****From the Past****, my Snemione story; you'll love it enough to review!) …and thus ends another advert…heh. :)**


	27. 27th Telling, 10th Wilt

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

P.P.S. We're about a third of the way through the story and- ***CAR SCREECH AND CRASH*** I'm already _THIS FAR_?! Well, when you consider that I mean I'm three-fifths of the way or so through the story, it's not that much, is it? Any who, tellings came first, love blossomed, and now things are wilting. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…

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**The Tenth Wilt (& the Twenty-Seventh Telling)**

The viridian irises of Sturgis's half-lidded eyes burned so darkly, they appeared black. He didn't even say anything to Ginny when he turned to leave.

It hurt, his silent rejection. "Wait!" she called out, and –much to her relief –he paused. But Ginny didn't know what to say. There was a time when Sturgis had started filling up her heart, but that heart belonged to Sirius once again. Completely and for good.

Sturgis turned his head slightly to the side and peered at her over his shoulder. He was willing to hear her out.

Ginny bit her lower lip. She sat up and got off the couch so she could better face him, but she stayed near the fire. Its warmth was helping to chase away Sturgis's frostiness. "I like you!!" she blurted.

His eyes widened a little, and he turned and met her eyes. He obviously saw hope in that statement.

Her cheeks crimsoned. "I-I really like you. I was starting to fall for you…"

"I noticed," he uttered. It was soft, and carried a melancholy undertone, not a hateful one.

Ginny frowned. "Then I suppose you noticed Sirius found his way back into my heart."

"He had never left." Sturgis grimaced and sighed, and he turned to lean on the nearby windowsill. "I never thought you'd be mine. I had hoped, but never assumed." He locked eyes with her again. "After all, 'assume' makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'." Then Sturgis straightened and went to head back up to the boys' dormitories.

"Please!" Ginny implored, running out around the furniture to the base of the boys' dormitories' stairs. She gazed up at him with pleading eyes. "Don't go back to your old ways! Don't treat me like an insignificant oddity! Don't hate me again!!" The last plea was barely a whisper. She treasured him so much. Yes, he was not her true love, but he was above a friend. He was someone very special to her.

And because he was so special, the hurt look in his eyes almost tore her heart into pieces. Sturgis backed off the stairs and stood before her, before gently lifting her chin up and bending down to press a sorrowful kiss to her lips. He straightened, and Ginny watching his shining eyes catch the fire's light. "I never hated you," he said. "The fact that you think I would even start to hate you now is proof that we weren't meant to be." Sturgis started back up the stairs and, at the midpoint of the staircase, he gave her a bittersweet smile. "I'll merely watch over you again, resuming my duties as your…'guardian angel'." Those were his last words. He went back up, and Ginny collapsed in a heap, muffling her noises as she cried her eyes out.

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Several hours later –and after Ginny had dozed (or tried to) for a couple of hours –it was suppertime. She and Raven waited for the boys outside the portrait hole. They met with Grant outside the Great Hall, and the group ate their supper in a discomfited quiet. Whispers whirled around them, and Ginny bent low over her plate. She didn't want to listen to the gossip surrounding them.

She and her friends finished in fairly short order, and the six Gryffindors and lone Slytherin walked in silence to Dumbledore's office. When they reached the statue, they realized the headmaster hadn't given them a password. As if their thoughts had summoned him, the elderly wizard appeared behind the students.

"Puking Pastils," Dumbledore said, and the spiral staircase twirled up. He pushed ahead of them. "Follow me."

Ginny almost grinned at his password choice –after all, she remembered when the twins had tested their Puking Pastils –but her face fell after the door closed behind them and they lined up in front of the headmaster's desk. They were here on not-so-light business.

Dumbledore sat down in his chair and folded his hands. "Leaving the school grounds as you did broke many rules. Leaving to fight an unknown terror on unknown ground shows a great lack in judgment. Who might begin the explanation behind this display of wayward behavior?"

Grant stepped forward. "Professor, there is little blame for us to shoulder." His cheeks burned red, but he stood behind his bold statement.

In very Dumbledore-like fashion, the headmaster smiled. "I have dealt with similar situations, Mr. Selwyn. I know that there is usually little fault on the students' part." He peered knowingly at Ginny over his glasses' rims. "I am merely interested in hearing you tale."

The Slytherin seemed slightly comforted by this, but he started anyway. "Back around January, February, I received a missive from my parents. They had already expressed disappointment in my having to repeat my seventh year, but…" He shook his head and continued. "The letter penned their urgency for my immediate visit home. You'll remember, professor, how I mentioned my family emergency to Professor Snape and he brought me here to your office. After your permission, I grabbed what I needed for what I thought would be a short stay, but –they didn't let me return." Grant closed his eyes, focusing on his memories. He inhaled deeply. "I knew my parents had never approved of half-bloods or muggle-borns, but I honestly never thought they would've been part of You-Know-Who's old crowd. They told me about their allegiance to him and that they had their own sect of Death Eaters. My father said he'd be the next Dark Lord, and that I would be his right-hand man. Only if I joined first, of course. So they set about trying to trick me into thinking what was wrong was right, and what was right was evil. They had hinted at such ideas in all the letters they sent me from the beginning of the school year. I just had no clue things would amount to my incarceration and almost brainwashing." He looked at Ginny on his left then. "Even _I_ was unsure if I was going to kill you."

She gave him a reassuring smile. "You didn't, though. What you _did_ do was turn the tables on your enemies." Ginny gripped his shoulder.

"I suppose, Ginevra," Dumbledore interrupted, "that you will pick up where he left off?"

The Weasley girl faced him. "Yes, professor. Back when Grant got that letter calling him home –and even for a little while before then –Miraphina and I had noticed a change in his mood. When he left, we were worried, though none of the staff were. However, on the Valentine's Day Hogsmead trip, I overheard two of the Dark Wizards from Grant's parents' sect talking about his father becoming the next Voldemort. They even talked about taking care of the 'girls', who I supposed were Mira and myself."

She winced when she heard gasps in the room, but she didn't open her eyes; she didn't want to see her friends' shocked countenances. "Then I am right to assume those wizards talked of disposing of the aforementioned 'girls'?" came the headmaster's lofty voice.

"Yes, that is what I inferred."

"And you withheld this information until now?"

Ginny bit her lip. "I made a mistake," she mumbled, lowering her head. "I should've alerted you."

"So you could've prevented Mira's harm?" The betrayed look in Grant's eyes made her feel even more ashamed. "You could've interceded the package my parents sent?"

"How dare you!!" That was Raven. "I was out cold for almost a bloody damn day, in excruciating pain, while our teachers tried to figure out what was wrong with Mira and me! And you could've prevented that!!" Beside the blonde, Mavrick clenched and unclenched his jaw. When he finally looked at her, she was surprised and hurt: Mavrick was staring at Ginny with loathsome fury. Ginny didn't bother gauging Derrov's, Nigel's, or Sturgis's reactions. She was sure they were equally hurt and angry.

Dumbledore rose and held up a hand. "It is actually better that Miss Weasley did not say anything."

Mavrick whirled around. "With all due respect, sir: How can you say that?!"

"At that time, it is very possible that any surface investigation would produce nothing and the Death Eaters would carry on besides the fact. Miss Weasley's suspicion would be thought of as unreliable, and any further insinuations would have fallen on deaf ears. While I do not approve of how all of you handled the situation in the end, I am glad everyone is safe. As Mr. Selwyn said, there is little blame for you students to shoulder." He looked at each of them over his glasses. "I hope to not hear of any finger-pointing about this matter and its relations, Miss Crowley, Mr. Morris, and Mr. Selwyn. That goes for the rest of you, as well, Mr. Reaves," he added when Sturgis opened his mouth; Sturgis quietly shut it. Dumbledore sat back down. "Seeing as how there are finals and N.E.W.T.s to study for and it is bedtime, I bid you all a good night's rest."

Everyone knew the headmaster said so with finality. One by one, they shuffled out of his office and walked down the spiral staircase. It was quiet in the corridor.

Ginny shivered. She turned behind her and saw all of them staring at her. Her face abruptly burned red. But before she could say anything, Sturgis, Nigel, and Derrov bid the other three goodnight and headed back to the Gryffindor tower. Grant frowned at her.

"I hope Mira wakes up soon," he stated, his tone accusing Ginny between the lines. He said 'goodnight' to Raven and Mavrick, and then left for the Slytherin dungeons.

And then there were three.

"Guy, I-" Ginny began.

Mavrick cut her off. "You really had us going. You kept that piece of info from us, you toyed with Sturgis's heart to male your pureblood man come back-"

Her blood boiled. "I _did not_ toy with Sturgis's heart!!"

"Oh yeah? So how come you're with Black then? Being with a pureblood and then not saying anything so two _muggle-borns_ were hurt –You might be a blood-traitor, but you're still a pureblood. You don't give a damn about us."

It was an utter slap in the face. Her gaping mouth seemed like his words had physically smacked her. Ginny didn't know how to respond.

Raven glared at her. "I won't ever speak to you again. Bitch," she spat, and she grasped Mavrick's hand and the two of them disappeared down the hall.

Ginny stood there, agape, rubbing her chest where her heart beat inside it. She numbly walked along. "Ow. Ow, ow…" Her friends' own betrayal –_abandonment_ –of her caused physical stabs of pain through her chest. The pain became unbearable, so she went to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey wasn't there.

But Miraphina was.

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The curvy Hufflepuff was tucked away in a cot in the middle, near a window. Two chairs were at Mira's bedside, but only she and Ginny were there in the Hospital Wing. Ginny guessed that Mira's da and mum were still at the castle, merely elsewhere.

Ginny approached her friend and sat down. Seeing Mira comatose sent new waves of pain through the redhead's heart. Grant's parents were crafty enough that they had evaded Harry's department's detection; Ginny had to wonder if Mira and Raven really wouldn't have been hurt if Ginny had opened her mouth.

Nonetheless, the rejection of her other friends had guilt brushing her cheeks with a new coat of crimson. She crossed her ankles and leaned her elbows on her knees, her forehead against her clasped hands. Ginny wished with all her might that she wasn't seeing Mira under these circumstances. "I'm so sorry…," she whispered.

"So… Are you snogging Sturgy-boy still…? Or…are you back to Riu?"

Ginny snapped her head up and watched Mira struggle to sit up. "Mira!"

"I'm…right here, you dolt," she coughed, and she reclined against her pillow. "Besides. What are you so sorry about?" Mira raised a speculative eyebrow. "You haven't been snogging _Grant_, have you?"

She shook her head. "No, no! Nothing like that!" Ginny felt her smile returning to her lips. "In fact, a lot of other things have happened while you healed…" She launched into the story of the past few days, including details of Sirius and Tersium and Iola and the wyvern, being held prisoner, Grant's surprise attack… It seemed liked minutes passed, but when Ginny finished, it was an hour and a half later.

"Interesting," Mira quipped. "Can't believe all that happened while I was here. But I do feel better."

"Is this the first time you woke up?" Ginny asked.

"Since collapsing, yes." She eyed her friend carefully, and sighed. "What else happened?"

The Weasley witch grinned. Mira could read her so well. "After we got back and rested, Professor Dumbledore requested an audience and we told him what happened. But when _I_ opened my mouth…" Again, she launched into another telling, informing Mira all about the Valentine's Day excursion with disguised Sirius. Much to her surprise, Mira was overwhelmingly giddy. "Aren't you angry?" she asked the Hufflepuff quizzically.

"Are you kidding? His parents would've gotten that package to me somehow. But never-mind that. Sirius is the reason you were so jumpy that day, huh?" She waggled her eyebrows at Ginny.

"Mir, shh! Don't use his name!" she uttered, but she was giddy herself, thinking back on that day. It _had_ been fun… She shook herself. "Well, you and Dumbledore are the only ones on my side. Derrov, Nigel, Sturgis, Raven, Mavrick, and Grant are all upset with me to some extent."

"Bah, don't worry about it," Mira chided. "I'll talk some sense into Grant. Raven's too hardheaded, but –while Mav loves her –I'm sure he'll come around and convince Raven, too. Nigel and Der won't stay away for long; they'll forgive you soon enough when they realize I don't blame you at all. Sturgis-" She stopped and bit her bottom lip. "Well, I'm not too sure about him. He _did_ imply he'll keep loving you, but I think this info sheds new light on things."

Ginny's eyes suddenly lacked the light they had moments earlier when talking of Sirius. "I doubt he'll ever talk to me again."

Mira patted Ginny's arm. "But I'm sure he knew you and he wouldn't be together in the end. All he's really doing is ruining a possible friendship between you two. The best thing to do right now is to let him be. If he sobers up, then good. If he doesn't –well, you have Riu and me and eventually the others, so don't sweat it." She grinned ear-to-ear. "We're here for you."

"And so's your family," Charlie said. He walked over to Mira's cot. "I didn't mean to intrude. I went in search of you at Dumbledore's office, but he said you'd already left. As you weren't in Gryffindor Tower, I guessed… But don't forget your family," he added, getting back to his point. "I'm sorry I didn't realize all the stress building up, Gin. I shouldn't have added to that with the business about-" –he looked at Mira with a raised eyebrow- "-what was it you dubbed him? 'Riu', I think it was." He rested a hand on Ginny's head and ruffled her hair like she was still a little girl.

"Touching scene, Professor Weasley," Mira poked with a smirk.

Charlie glared at her sideways. "Don't give me cheek, Atherton."

She feigned mock-horror and slapped the sides of her face. "Heavens, no!! Why, these cheeks here belong to darling Grant!!"

He blushed. "You little-!!" The teacher sighed. "We should let the ill-minded rest, Ginny," he commented, ushering her up and towards the door.

"Hey!" Mira called when the Weasleys reached the exit. "You could've stopped at 'ill', y'know!" she hollered, a bit of Cockney leaking into her accent.

Charlie smirked. "I know." And then he left with Ginny.

Mira huffed. "Well!" And then she blinked. "Ah, bloody bollocks, my accent's cumming thru…"

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Ginny slept better that night, but there were still so many things to stress about. Her friends troubled her the most, but the following weeks would be her N.E.W.T. exams, and then graduation. And she didn't even know what she would do after Hogwarts.

Things were beginning to look like the beginning of her school year: Someone hated Sirius (luckily her parents, not her), she had one friend again (weird how it was her best mate's girlfriend and not her best mate), and there was plenty of studying to do. When her anxieties woke her up an hour before she needed to be awake the next morning, she grimaced.

_Things are looking _lovely_, aren't they?_

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**I kinda liked this chappie. The thing with Sturgis was painful to write, but I'm doing my best to tie up loose ends, so…that brings me to Ginny. The story took over, and I wasn't expecting the gang (minus Mira) to turn on her. Looking back, I'm pleasantly surprised. Good set-up, no? Anywho, Charlie-Mira banter lightened the mood, which will be pinging back and forth between heavy and light in the next few chapters, so stay with me, peoples. AND REVIEW!!!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	28. 28th Telling, 1st Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read –and REVIEW!!!

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**The First Sprout (& the Twenty-Eighth Telling)**

Thursday's and Friday's classes were either review sessions or study periods, both of which were bland to the extremes. Ginny –as she had at the start of the year –ignored her surroundings and focused only on her studying. She did such a wonderful job of ignoring everything and everyone that she didn't even notice Mira scampering to a seat across from Ginny at the lunch table on Saturday. Miraphina had to actually slam the redhead's text closed to get her attention.

"Honestly, Ginny! And I thought _I_ was an academic worrywart," she added as an aside.

Ginny frowned. "Yeah, well, Monday night through Wednesday ate up precious time. I have N.E.W.T.s in Divination, History of Magic, Herbology, Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care for Magical Creatures-"

Mira held up a hand. "Stop. I understand; I have Muggle Studies and others to worry about, so I know how you feel. But RELAX!" To get her point across, the brunette waved her wand and produced a chess board. "Want to play?"

"Wizard chess?"

"No, regular chess. Leaves out the danger of pieces attacking us."

Ginny laughed; she had to agree. She took white and went on to beat Mira's butt, but every time she won, Mira asked for a rematch. It was suppertime before they knew it. While eating, Ginny laughed. "You're such a sore loser!"

"Uh!" Miraphina scoffed. "Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am_ not_!"

Ginny laughed harder, but she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. Nigel and Derrov seemed to be eyeing the two seventh years every now-and-then, but Ginny didn't say anything. Mira was right; they would approach Ginny again when it dawned that Miraphina wasn't alienating her.

On a whim, Ginny glanced up at the staff table. Sirius was chatting with Remus. However, Padfoot sensed her eyes on him and looked up. His smile flooded her with warmth. So what if anyone saw? The school year was almost over, anyway. _Screw it,_ she thought. _I love him, and I want to make sure he knows it._ And she was pretty sure he did.

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"Okay. So, the three things that annoy an ellylon most are…?" Mira asked Sunday morning.

"Firefaeries, roaches, and being plucked off the ground," Ginny rattled off. She chewed her bit of blueberry muffin. "To make the Noxious Noter potion, you need…?"

"Dung beetles –crushed –owl pellets, pomegranate parfum, a chunk of sulfur, and a Cornish pixie wing," the Hufflepuff answered. She paused and twirled on the green lawn, her T-shirt puffing. "Y'know," she commented while looking into the cloud-free sky, "I think we'll be all right."

Ginny stared at the sky that mimicked her eye color. "…I agree."

Mira turned back to her friend. "Still don't know what you're going to do after graduation?" she asked tentatively.

The Weasley girl shook her head. "I don't know where I'll live. Although, Hermione _did_ invite me to the wedding. Harry mentioned she wanted me as her maid-of-honor, so I know I'll at least have rehearsals to deal with for a while, since I agreed."

"Ooh! Is it going to be a muggle wedding?" the brunette gushed.

"I suppose. Hermione's muggle-born and Harry grew up with muggles, so that's probably what's most natural for them. I've never been to a muggle wedding before."

"They're not very different from wizard ones. Typically, the only difference is the magic."

"'Typically'?"

"Sometimes there's a magician." Mira shuddered. "Frightful. Who on _earth_ hires a magician for a _wedding_?"

"Apparently muggles do."

Mira paused. "What kind of wedding will you have?"

Ginny felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. "Excuse me?"

Her friend rolled her eyes. "C'mon! As if you and Riu won't get hitched."

"First: I won't get hitched; I'll get married. Second-" Ginny slowly faded into pink. "Who knows if that'll ever happen?" she added in a small voice.

"AGH!" Mira slapped both of Ginny's cheeks simultaneously. "You've _got_ to be kidding me! There isn't a reason in the _world_ that he wouldn't want to marry you! Maybe he'll even propose soon!"

"Mira, shh!!!"

"I won't 'shhh'!! You'll marry Riu, I'll marry Grant, and Raven'll marry Mavrick!! It's like balancing an equation!" She panted, and sternly gazed at the Gryffindor. "Understood?"

"Understood." They walked along the courtyard again. "What's the advantage of a nonverbal spell?"

"It gives you a slim time advantage, since your opponent won't expect –_mostly_ expect –what's coming. The number one authority on Squibs, half-bloods, and muggle-borns…?"

Ginny grinned. "Easy. Hermione Granger. Explain why rune stones are more reliable than glass ball readings…"

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Monday finally arrived. The first day of N.E.W.T.s, and Ginny had the Potions and History of Magic exams. Potions was decent enough, and Ginny was sure she got a perfect score after studying so much, but the majority of the castle reeked of Troll-grade screw-ups afterwards.

History of Magic wasn't as easy, though. It was a dreadfully long and boring test, and many of the questions were just words swimming on the parchment before Ginny's eyes. Sadly, some questions Ginny had to fumble for an answer. In many cases, she grasped at different facts and put together what she supposed was a logical response. Who knew one should've stayed awake during Binns' class?

Tuesday wasn't very different. Divination was dreadful only because it mostly dealt with the awful rune stones. Charms was fun, though. The Great Hall lit up with all the colorful designs being swirled around in the air.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday found Ginny with an exam a piece. Herbology was fine, Care for Magical Creatures was dangerous, and Defense Against the Dark Arts was oh so easy. The dueling part of the D.A.D.A. N.E.W.T. went very well, and many of the seventh years felt they had done Exceeds Expectations work or better.

After the last exam Friday, a cacophony of cheers rang out throughout the entire castle, for N.E.W.T.s and finals were both finally over. Students put up some decorations, pranks were pulled with items from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and kids began to pack. Ginny didn't want to watch her fellow Hogwartians prepare to return home, but she helped Raven anyway. When Raven offered to help her in return, she only put a hand up and shook her head. Ginny was, in fact, all packed and ready to go.

That night's end-of-term feast turned out spectacularly. All the students filed in and sat at their respective tables; Ginny sat with Nigel and Derrov, who had both finally warmed up to her again. Even though she had helped the blonde earlier, Ginny found that Raven, Mavrick, and Sturgis all sat at the opposite end of the Gryffindor table from her, Nigel, and Derrov. The redhead had to wonder if her friends would ever speak to her again.

Her thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind when the teachers sat down and Dumbledore approached his podium. The entire Great Hall quieted when he cleared his throat.

"It has been a whirlwind of a year. As usual, rules were broken, Quidditch games were fierce, and the familial atmosphere at Hogwarts was retained. Tonight, we dine and sleep, for tomorrow we send most of our students home for the summer, and the day after our seventh years will graduate, leaving the sixth years to be the school's new role models.

"But tonight is one of celebration, and the House Cup must be awarded. In first place: Ravenclaw with six-hundred twenty-eight points. Second is Slytherin, with five-hundred seventy-nine points. Gryffindor is third, with four-hundred ninety-nine points, and last is Hufflepuff, with four-hundred fifty-three points."

Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles slid down his narrow nose as he looked out into the huge crowd of teenagers. "I am sure we all know things were worrisome last week when it was discovered that some students and faculty were missing." The murmurs were and weren't surprised, but silence prevailed when the headmaster next spoke. "And, in consistence with tradition, I have some last minute points at award." Again, there were murmurs of excitement, but no one was surprised.

The headmaster faced the Gryffindor table. "To young Derrov Benton, whose nimble hands helped to determine the whereabouts of his senior and friend –ten points."

Gryffindors cheered, and Derrov blushed. Ginny and Nigel laughed, for Der rarely showed emotion, but then Nigel felt Dumbledore's gaze on the back of his head. He gulped and turned around.

"To Nigel Creevey (**mt: I assumed he's the other Creevey brother; please correct me if I'm wrong, because I don't have the 5****th**** book on hand**), for the blessing of a big heart with enough love to protect a wyvern that had previously attacked him –ten points." More woots erupted, and Dumbledore gazed at the opposite end of the table. "To Sturgis Reaves, whose intellect knows no bounds and whose mind knows spells and enchantments that I myself have forgotten and even Hermione Granger may not know-" –a cough interrupted him, and the headmaster looked over his shoulder at Snape, who shrugged and motioned for him to finish- "-ten points."

Ginny craned her neck and caught a glimpse of a bashful Sturgis. She ducked, however, when he turned her way. Dumbledore had more to say, anyway.

"To Miss Raven Crowley, whose quick thinking defended her and her friends in the deadliest of situations –ten points."

When Ginny saw Raven, she wasn't happy as the boys were. In fact, Raven looked peaky and an off shade of white. Even Mavrick pecking her cheek didn't help. Mavrick glanced up and met Ginny's eyes. His umber eyes conveyed one thing: worry. The Weasley girl crinkled her brow, trying to express that she didn't know what was wrong.

"To Mavrick Morris, who stood by his friends and protected them even when he was skeptical about heading into danger –ten points." Mav blinked, realizing the attention was on him, and smiled at the headmaster.

"To Miss Ginevra Weasley, whose courage rivals that of Godric Gryffindor himself. Her bravery, determination, and loyalty to her friends shows how perfect a fit she is for her valiant house. So much, in fact, that her determination to protect her allies led to her ingenuity in creating a special spell. A spell that is the first of its kind. A special spell which deflected the Killing Curse." He paused, but no cheers came. The room was gagged by awe. Even the teachers (except Sirius, of course) –even _Snape_ –were flabbergasted. "To our very own hero of the Second Great War, to our very own Ginny Weasley –I award thirty points."

The excited screams and hollers of pride were so loud, the castle seemed to rattle and shake. Gryffindors threw their pointed caps high into the air, and Dumbledore had an extremely difficult time quieting them back down. Nigel leaned across the table, grinning ear-to-ear. "We're tied with Slytherin for second place!!" he exclaimed.

"There is one more!" Dumbledore boomed, and a hush fell over everyone. "There is one more," he repeated, "and it is only just that he be recognized." Surprisingly, he turned to the Slytherin table and faced Grant. "To Grant Selwyn, I award fifty points. He turned his own hostage situation into an advantage, and risked everything he had once known and loved to survive, and to help his comrades survive, as well. Your fifty points are for your sly and cunning in the darkest of times, Grant Selwyn." Grant looked uncomfortable, but he accepted the applause and cheers of his fellow Slytherins as Dumbledore changed the Ravenclaw banners into the green and silver Slytherin ones. "Slytherin wins the House Cup! Congratulations, and let the feast begin!!!"

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"You _can't_ forget to write! Don't you agree, Der?"

Ginny laughed the next morning –Saturday morning –at Nigel and Derrov, who was nodding eagerly in acquiescence. "Guys, I promise we'll stay in touch. After all, you two and Sturgis will need tips for next year's Quidditch season."

Nigel and Derrov exchanged glances, and Derrov beckoned her closer to them. Ginny stood on tiptoes to hear them over the sounds of the Hogwarts train. "When you marry Professor Black," Nigel stated, "we could always be ring-bearers or flower boys or something."

The witch's cheeks burned the deep burgundy of the locomotive. "NIGEL! DERROV!"

The fifth and fourth years only gave her impish grins. "We'll write you soon, Miss Ginny!" Nigel said before he and Derrov closed their window.

Ginny shook her head and brushed the hair out of her face. _Those two…_ She felt eyes on her –okay, so people were loading onto the train and it could be anyone –but she knew who it was without even looking up. Slowly, she swiveled her head in his direction and smiled. "Hello, Sturgis."

Her voice was quiet, but –though he stood a car away –he heard her. He looked indecisive, however. Ginny pondered whether he would say anything.

As it turned out, he didn't say anything, but sauntered rigidly up to her instead. He stuck out a hand.

Ginny forced down her grimace. _This is what it comes down to? Hand-shakes?_ Nevertheless, she gripped his hand –and felt him slip something into her palm. She was stunned, but he didn't wait for a response.

A Ravenclaw girl Ginny hadn't seen before stuck her head out a window. "Sturgis! Come _on_!" She glared at him with her big ochre eyes.

"Oh," Ginny coughed. "Right. You better get going, then." She watched him get on, but he paused and gave her a curt nod before disappearing into the carriage. The whistle blew, and last calls could be heard. Then the train picked up momentum and sped away, along with a tiny piece of Ginny's heart.

The Weasley girl turned and traipsed back to the castle for graduation ceremony rehearsal. Along the way, she unfolded the scrap of paper and almost couldn't breathe. He had given her his address to mail him. He wanted to stay in contact.

He wanted to at least be friends.

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"That's quite something," Grant commented as he, Mira, and Ginny met the other seventh years outside for practice.

"See?" Miraphina pointed out. "I _told_ you things might work out. He sobered up, Nigel and Derrov followed my example, and I talked some sense into Grant."

"More like 'beat' some sense into me," the Slytherin whispered to Ginny behind his hand.

Mira squinted at him. "I could beat you some more."

"Or you could all have a beating for screwing up rehearsal," Charlie stated, coming up behind Ginny. "All the Hufflepuffs are over there, Miss Atherton."

"Yes, yes, _Professor_ Weasley," she remarked, walking away and rolling her eyes.

Charlie tsked. "That girl…" When Ginny raised an eyebrow, he ushered her and Grant off, too. "Slytherins and Gryffindors that way, you two."

Practice went well. No one tripped, and the top three students (Grant, Ginny, and some Hufflepuff named Feria Harling) were alerted so they could be prepared to receive awards tomorrow. The only problem was having the top three shake hands with all of the teachers. After all, the distance Charm was still set in place for Ginny and Sirius.

At least for the rehearsal, Sirius wasn't at the front with the other teachers. He stood instead at the back to keep an eye on the students. Ginny could only sullenly fall into step with her classmates.

After what seemed like forever, Dumbledore clapped his hands. "That is all the practice we need. Tomorrow your ceremonial robes will appear by your bedsides and the ceremony itself will be at noon." The headmaster stopped and gazed at all of them –a few short of one hundred students. The moisture making his eyes glisten painted him as a beloved grandfather parting with his grandchildren. "You have all done very well. I congratulate you."

The kids were too humbled to remark. As the teachers conferred, the seventh years walked back up the castle for the last time. Ginny fell back a bit, allowing Grant and Mira some private time. She looked on with envy, and Charlie came up beside her. He followed her gaze, grimaced, and put an arm around his kid sister's shoulders.

Ginny tried shrugging him off. "Don't," she told him.

"'Don't' could apply to anything," he stated. "Does it apply to my telling you Dumbledore's and McGonagall's graduation present for you?"

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "You aren't pulling my leg, are you?" Ginny asked dryly.

Charlie smirked. "Should I, when it comes to your darling Riu?"

Ginny gripped his arm. "What? What's going on?!"

"Oh, nothing…except the headmaster and deputy headmistress decided to lift the Charm on you two. It'll be removed tomorrow morning right before the ceremony," he pointed out, "so don't try anything stupid tonight."

Her jaw dropped. "Really?"

He furrowed his brow. "Are you daft or deaf, girl? _Yes_, really!"

She jumped up and down. "YES!!!" Ginny threw her arms around Charlie's neck and kept jumping, almost strangling her older brother in the process.

Grant and Mira retraced their steps and watched the spectacle. "_What_ is she dithering about _now_?!" Grant whined.

Mira noticed Charlie couldn't breathe enough to answer, so she detached Ginny from him. "What, is someone dead?"

"It ends tomorrow!!" Ginny cheered. She pulled Mira and Grant in close and whispered the fantastic news. "I'm getting Riu back!"

Grant hugged his best mate. "That's wonderful, Ginny!"

Mira nodded and scrutinized Charlie. "What? No comment from the peanut gallery? Or is it the big brother dragon-mounted cavalry?"

Charlie's cheeks pinked. "I don't like _him_ or _it_, but if Gin's happy, then…" He didn't need to finish. The glee on his sister's face explained it all.

Ginny was happy. So _what_ if Sirius was the cause?

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***content sigh* Well, graduation time. The ceremony will be beautiful, Sirius will be smexy, Ginny's homeless, and there might be a disowning –did I mention Sirius's smexiness? Be prepared for a turbulent chappie 29, peoples, 'cause things are changing. AND REVIEW!!!**

**-mew-tsubaki**

**P.S. –A very delicious person has a cameo next chapter, so please read it! VIVA SLYTHERIN!!! *hint hint***


	29. 29th Telling, 2nd Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read –and REVIEW!!!

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Second Sprout (& the Twenty-Ninth Telling)**

Breakfast was subdued and quiet Sunday morning. The seventh years ate in the Great Hall under the watchful eye of the school ghosts, as the living faculty was setting up things outside. After breakfast, the teens had free time until noon, when graduation would begin.

Mira and Grant found Ginny in the library an hour before the ceremony began. They were already in their black dress robes and pointed caps. Mira's hat also donned a gold badger medal on a black ribbon, and Grant's dangled a silver snake medal on an emerald green ribbon from its rim. The couple wondered why their best friend was still wearing her jeans, though.

In answer to their thoughts, Ginny closed the book she had been perusing. "I know I need to change," she stated exasperatedly.

"Well…yes," Grant said. He peeked out a nearby window. "Honestly, you should see how many people are here. There must be just under a thousand out there already."

"If you figure around ten relatives per student, then yeah," Mira calculated. She faced Ginny. "You haven't seen your parents since they found out, have you?"

The redhead ignored the question outright and stood. She stretched her shoulders before giving the other two a bemused grin. "Shall we get going?" It threw them off a bit and she dashed to the door. "I'll go get dressed and meet you outside, guys." Ginny left as Grant opened his mouth, but Miraphina motioned for him to stop, and the brunette took his hand and they exited.

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_Merlin, this does nothing for a girl's figure,_ Ginny observed as she peered into her mirror. She grimaced and sighed, giving up and closing her trunk. _Well, everything's packed, so I might as well head down._

The witch grabbed her hat and exited the Gryffindor tower. While she knew she would need to come back once more for her things, Ginny took her time leaving the castle. It was calming and comforting, and hard not to imagine coming back next year. A sigh escaped her lips as she descended the floors.

And then there was a clatter behind her.

Ginny turned and blinked. _Funny_, she realized, _how my feet led me to the Room of Requirement._ She paused, unsure, and looked down both ends of the corridor. No one came, so she entered the rendezvous place.

Inside, the décor was the same as ever. Navy walls, grape drapes, pine and bronze chairs, burgundy carpet… The redhead inhaled and sat down in front of the crackling fire in the hearth. The flames jumped and danced and hissed, casting eerie shadows behind Ginny. But its sounds were soothing white noise –that was easily disrupted by the room's door rumbling open and close.

Her heart hammered. The ceremony had not yet begun. The distance Charm was still in effect. She didn't even know what would happen if he closed the twenty-meter gap between them. Ginny squinted her eyes shut and heard him take one tentative step forward.

"You can't," she shakily stated, and she rose from the chair.

"Ginny," Sirius breathed.

She opened her eyes and faced him, and took a step backwards, but the pressure was still there. She chewed her lip and opened her mouth to say something.

"It's going to start in a few minute," he commented. He took another forward step, but she retreated. Sirius sighed and stepped again and Ginny tried another step backwards, but that put the wall beside the fireplace at her back. He raised his eyebrows and walked straight to her.

"Don't you feel the Charm in place? We don't know…what will…happen…" Her voice left her as he got closer. The firelight heightened the smokiness in his gray eyes, and the black tendrils of his hair seemed liquid fire itself. At the same time, the pressure from the Charm weighed down on her, like she suddenly had all the gravity in the room. There were barely a few inches between them, and the pressure was unbearable. "This is torment."

"At such a small proximity, yes," he whispered. He closed the gap, and the pressure shattered as if it had been a fragile piece of glass. Sirius smiled his sexy grin and placed his hand behind her head. A throaty chuckle escaped him when the apples of her cheeks burned cherry red. "Ah, how the wait makes things taste this much better."

His lip were soft, feathery soft. It had been too long without his kisses, and Ginny relished the heat of his breath. Sirius's mouth on hers, his body trapping hers against the wall, his heart beating rapidly and in time with hers… She forgot the rest of her thoughts as he literally stole her breath away.

After several sweet kisses, he pulled his lips from hers and leaned against her forehead. "Much, much better."

Ginny gingerly touched her swollen lips. "I have to fix my makeup…"

He grinned. "And now I don't have to do mine!"

"But I don't understand," she said, ignoring his joke. "Charlie said it wouldn't be lifted until right before the ceremony."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "It was to be lifted five minutes before graduation began. It's-" –he glanced at the clock that had just materialized in the room- "-eleven fifty-seven."

"Ack! We'll be late!!" Ginny dragged him out of the Room of Requirement. "You go first, and I'll go the longer way." She pecked his cheek. "I'll see you down there, love."

"Yes, see you there, love." He smiled and then disappeared down the short end of the hall. She waited ten seconds before taking the long way outside. When she reached the shore-side by the lake, she gulped and spirited herself to her seat with the Gryffindors. Then the ceremony began.

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Just the setup was breathtakingly beautiful. Families and friends sat behind the seventh years. Slytherins waited in their seats on the left, next to them the Gryffindors, the Hufflepuffs, and then the Ravenclaws. Dumbledore stood at a podium right near the edge of the lake, while the faculty lined up on either side of the seventh years. The sunlight glinted off the water, and cast everyone in an ethereal glow.

_Shyeah,_ Sirius thought. _Like _I_ could ever be wrapped in light._ He closed his eyes and exhaled, then reopened his eyes and scanned the seventh years to make sure no one was misbehaving. His glance rested an extra second on Ginny. _Okay. Well, I s'pose I _have_ been wrapped in light before…_ As Dumbledore began his long-winded speech, Sirius looked through the sea of faces behind the students and gulped. Arthur and Molly, Fred and Verity, George and Angelina, Harry and Hermione, Luna –all the ingredients for consecutive explosions sat in the front of the audience. Padfoot sighed. What the hell had he gotten himself into?

There was a round of applause signaling the headmaster's finality, and that was the cue for the other teachers to go and line up next to him. Sirius nudged Remus as they waited and Remus gave a slight smile. Dumbledore cleared his throat once everyone quieted.

"First, we have awards for our best students. The top three of the class will receive special honors. If you could," he spoke, gesturing to Grant, Ginny, and Feria Harling, "please join me in applauding their studious regiments."

The three shook hands with each teacher –Grant gave Sirius a teasing smirk, which the professor returned –and Dumbledore gave the students gold pins with one, two, or three stars. Once the pins were beside their hats' house medals, they sat back down, accompanied by more applause.

Finally, it began. Each head-of-house called their students, and the seventh years alphabetically had their medals changed to the school crest. Ginny fidgeted with her sleeve as she waited.

"Dorn, Cara." The girl traipsed up to Flitwick…

"Oakley, Christopher." Many names later now, the boy met Snape…

"Selwyn…" "Straumer…" "Syver…" "Tableigh…" "Tavnull…" "Temari…" It seemed to be forever. "Uzilay…" "Voullier…" "Waelund…" Ginny straightened; one more… "Wersch…" "Weasley, Ginevra." The redhead stood at McGonagall's clear tone and went up to her head-of-house. Professor McGonagall smiled very warmly before waving her wand and changing Ginny's gold lion medal to that of the lion, the serpent, the badger, and the eagle. Ginny returned to her chair and waited as the last six students met with their teachers.

Dumbledore approached his podium one more time. The seventh years rose. "Congratulations!!" He began his hearty clapping, and everyone joined in.

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"There you are!!"

Ginny turned around at the sound of Hermione's voice and hugged the genius dearly. "I'm so glad you came!"

Hermione looked at her incredulously. "Of course we would. You didn't honestly think we'd miss this, did you?"

Ginny smiled. "Well, if you've heard anything from Harry, I'm sure you know I can't ever expect things anymore."

"I _did_ fill her ear quite a bit," Harry said, and he hugged her. "Second in your class, eh? We're proud of you, Ginny."

"Yes, well…" She shifted uncomfortably as her parents reached them. Both gave her hugs and kisses, but Ginny stiffened in both their arms. "Hi, Mum, Dad."

Molly pinched one of her cheeks. "You've done so well, Ginny."

Arthur smiled. "That's our Ginny."

"No, that's _our_ Ginny," Sirius and Miraphina stated in unison. Sirius placed a hand on her shoulder and Mira grabbed one of her arms and clutched it to her.

"Ah, you're Miss Atherton," Arthur recalled. "Ginny mentioned you on the way back from the Selwyn estate." His eyes drifted begrudgingly to Sirius, but he said nothing else.

Luckily, the twins and their fiancés came up right then and interrupted the awkward moment. Ginny introduced Mira to her family and Harry and Hermione, but poked her friend in the arm." Where's our resident snake?" Ginny didn't hear where Grant was, though, for she was distracted by the sudden blush that colored Hermione's cheeks.

"…said something about closest relatives," Mira stated. "You guys know him, I think. Name's Malfoy."

Ginny's attention moved back to Miraphina. "_Draco_?!!" she, Harry, and Hermione all shrieked in unison.

"Yes, me," came a snarky response. The slicked-back hair and clear, sharp eyes of the man standing next to Grant belonged to none other than Draco Malfoy. "Still have a problem with me, I see."

"That's in the past, Draco," Harry said. "After all, some helpful info in the Second Great War was divulged by you."

Draco fought down a smirk at the bit of praise. "Yes well, right now I'm not any kind of spy. As it my house wasn't chaotic enough, Dumbledore dropped Grant on us."

"'Us'?" Hermione echoed with raised eyebrows.

"I promise I'll do my bit and baby-sit," Grant cut in. "After I learn _how_ to baby-sit first…"

Molly covered her mouth as she gasped. "Oh, my! Draco, dear, how wonderful!"

Draco's expression was squeamish when Mrs. Weasley kissed his cheek. "Well, it's been a while, but things are pretty steady with Mother being around, too."

"Wait," Harry coughed, stifling his laughter, "you didn't actually _marry_ Pansy Parkinson?"

"I'm _nothing_ like her, Harry," Lavender Brown –well, Malfoy now –corrected, adding an annoying, sarcastic little laugh. There was a bundle in her arms. "That aside, would you like to see Sage Rukh Malfoy?" She folded the blanket down partially and revealed a sleeping baby girl who had wisps of platinum blonde hair on the top of her head. Just like her daddy.

"Oh, Lavender, Draco, she's adorable," Hermione cooed. "Can I hold her?"

Ginny and Mira agreed that Sage was cute, but Mira needed to see her parents. "I told them I'd be right back," she said to Ginny over her shoulder, "so maybe I'll see you later, after pictures-"

"Mira, watch out! Charlie-!!" Ginny winced when Mira walked fac-first into her brother and crashed to the ground.

"Miraphina! Sorry," Charlie said, and he offered her a hand up, which she took. "Guess I got distracted."

Grant left Draco and Lavender and rushed over. "Are you okay, Mira?"

The Hufflepuff brushed the grass out of her hair. "Yes, Grant, I'm fine," she muttered shortly.

He frowned, so Ginny changed the subject. "Um, Mira, pictures? Your parents?" Her eyes lowered and she noticed Charlie still held the curvy brunette's hand. Ginny coughed.

Mira blinked and withdrew her hand as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "Right! I'll try to get back as quickly as I can, so stay here, okay?" She gave Ginny a quick hug and scampered off.

"We need to find my mother," Draco stated. "Sage needs a nap, and we should eat, so come on, Grant." He yanked on Grant's collar but switched to ushering the eighteen-year-old along after Lavender nudged him and shook her head.

"So it's back to just family," Charlie stated nervously. "Did someone really let Draco spawn?" he inquired incredulously.

"Love occasionally leads to children, Charles," Laurel remarked. And, once again, things were uncomfortable.

"Well, how about a picture?" Fred asked.

"Wait, look! There's Lee!" George exclaimed, so the twins dragged their fiancés off to see an old friend.

Molly smiled, but it was tight. "Ginny, dear, I take it all of your things are ready to go?"

The witch stiffened. She hadn't expected to bring this subject up so soon. "Um, yes, of course they are…"

"Where are you planning on going?"

Ginny blinked. "…What?" _Yes, I don't want to go home, but…_ Her thoughts muddled with one another as she put two and two together.

All eyes were on Molly and Arthur. "We know it's been a tough year, Ginny," Arthur softly said, "but your mother and I aren't idiots, you know. You cleared out your room when we asked you to pack for your seventh year. Since you have no intention of coming back, then you can't."

She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled. She'd done enough crying for a lifetime. Opening her eyes, Ginny locked her gaze with Sirius. "I'll stay with Sirius, then." He returned her smile, but her mother turned ashen white. Clearly, they hadn't anticipated that.

"You most certainly will not!!" Molly shouted. "We never gave permission for this –this _fling_ to happen!" She shook her head and waved a hand at them, dismissing their relationship. "No! Absolutely not!"

Ginny fought to keep from screaming at her mother. "So you want me to be homeless until I work for enough money for an apartment?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Ginny…," Arthur mumbled. "It's not that we-"

"What if she stays with us?" Hermione interrupted. Ginny looked at her and Harry, who gave her a wink. "Arthur, Molly, would it be acceptable if Ginny stays with us? Until she can get her feet on the ground, that is."

It was obvious that they hadn't anticipated that, either. Arthur looked dumbfounded, and Molly's mouth formed a perfect O. A second later, Molly seemed to regain her composure. "Well, I suppose… Only if Sirius does not see her. If I hear that he visits for midnight trysts-"

Ginny's cheeks matched Gryffindor's maroon image color. "_MOTHER_!!"

"He won't bother her," Harry replied. "We promise."

Molly smoothed her dress and gave all of them a curt nod. "Well, then. I guess that is all we have to say." Without another word, she sauntered off, heading for McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Remus. At some point, Luna had slipped away and was already chatting with the three professors, and Arthur dashed off to join his wife, the teachers, and the _Quibbler_ reporter.

"That was generous of you," Charlie told Harry and Hermione. "Although, are you sure you can handle living with her?"

"Are you really going to separate us?" Ginny asked.

"You didn't listen, did you?" Harry said, and he exchanged a conspiratorial grin with Sirius.

Ginny rolled her eyes. _Ugh. Boys._

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**A little boring, a tad exciting –add in a cameo with Draco and Lav, and there's chappie 29 for ya, folks! So now Ginny's graduated. Jeez. Almost a year's passed in the story. Weird. Anywho, life's not over. The story will keep going since there are many loose ends to tie up, some that won't even be resolved in this story, but in the companion stories (of which the first is up, so go read & review ****From the Past**** please). Whoo, boy! I have my work cut out for me! Well, review and keep reading. This story is for Ginrius and the fans! (which is why this is a triple-post! YAY!!!)**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	30. 30th Telling, 3rd Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read –and REVIEW!!!

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Third Sprout (& the Thirtieth Telling)**

Sighing, Ginny kicked back on her new bed. Harry stood in the doorway and waved his wand, and her bags popped into the room. He laughed at her. "Tired already? You just got here!"

The redhead slapped a hand over her eyes. "Dealing with Mum is mentally taxing. It was even worse with Dad on her side."

"Parents are like that," Hermione stated, coming up behind Harry. "They want to protect you, but sometimes they don't know what to do with you themselves."

Ginny propped herself up on her elbows. "But they were acting so childish," she said.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "'Takes one to know one', they say. After all, you could've been more mature and not snuck around." Ginny didn't say anything at the humbling comment, but Hermione poked him and gave him a she-doesn't-want-to-hear-that-from-you glare.

"Anyway," Hermione interrupted, "we're in the final stages of planning the wedding. Technically, there're just the final touches. Ginny, did you give any thought to being my maid-of-honor?"

"Of course, Miss Genius Witch!" She sat up fully and smiled. "I would be honored to be your maid-of-honor."

Hermione squealed a 'Yay!' and hugged Ginny tightly. "_Good_, because rehearsals begin tomorrow. Oh, and invite some of your friends to the wedding, like Miraphina. She seems nice."

"Will do, Big Sis," Ginny chuckled, and she and Harry laughed at Hermione's flustered look. Ginny genuinely felt happy. She may not be the one marrying Harry, but things felt normal. They felt right.

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"Get up, get up! You can't sleep the morning away!!"

The next morning Ginny awoke to Hermione pounding her bedroom door down. The redhead clamped a pillow over her head and groaned. "What time is it?" she called.

"It's ten fifteen, Ginny," Hermione said. "Practice is reserved for ten thirty. Get your butt out of bed!"

At that, she sat bolt upright. "Crap! Only fifteen minutes?!" Ginny jumped out of bed, grabbed a change of clothes, and shoved Harry out of the way to shower. Harry, luckily, did _not_ stumble down the stairs. In about the same amount of time, she dressed, sped downstairs, and ate a bowl of cereal.

"Okay, out, out!!" Hermione urged. She shoved Ginny out the front door and dragged Harry behind her, barely giving Harry the chance to get his T-shirt over his head. "Ginny, hop in the backseat!"

For Ginny, riding muggle-style in the back of their sedan was one of the strangest experiences. Harry drove within the speed limit, so the three of them ran about five minutes late, but the rest of the wedding party was already there.

Everyone entered the muggle church and met the pastor in the sanctuary. The pastor warmly smiled. "The Potter-Granger party is all here then?" she asked.

Hermione nodded and double-checked the headcount. "Weasleys, Angelina, Verity, Grangers… Agh!" She wheeled on Harry. "Where's your best man?!"

Harry shrugged, looking a little scared of Hermione the dragon. "I dunno. I told him it would be one of the rehearsals that he couldn't get out of, and I called him this morning, but-"

"I'm here!!" a breathless Sirius stated. He jogged up to his godson and put his hands on his knees, panting. "I'm here. I couldn't remember the name of the place at first, so I wandered around for a bit…," he huffed. He deeply inhaled. "I'm…sorry I'm late."

Ginny felt her heart jump into her throat. She didn't remember Sirius telling her that he was Harry's best man, but she didn't mind as much; it figured Harry would pick him anyway.

"Never mind that –we need to get going!" Hermione said to all of them. She followed the pastor into the hall, and the rest followed after.

"These two rooms you may use as needed," the pastor stated, waving to the doors on either side of the hall.

Hermione turned to Ginny, Verity, Angelina, and Molly. "We'll prep Crookshanks and Hedwig in my room-" She stopped short.

"The animals!!" she and Harry exclaimed in unison. The wizard took out his car keys and walked back to the entrance. "I'll be right back with them!"

"AGH!" Hermione groaned, slapping her head. "Can anything else go wrong?!"

"Hermione, breathe darling," Molly said beside the girl.

Jane, Hermione's mother, hugged Hermione on the other side. "Everything will go as planned, love." She kissed her daughter's cheek, and the genius witch seemed to relax a bit.

_Merlin, _please_ don't let me become a bridezilla,_ Ginny pleaded as she thought of her marriage in the future.

Sirius came up to her. "Please don't ever get that way when our time comes, dear," he whispered into her ear.

She had to stifle her laugh, lest she draw her parents' attention. Ginny looked at him. "So is that your roundabout way of proposing to me?

"Er," he coughed, looking like he was being choked. "Um, maybe we should wait until, uh, things, y'know, calm down. I mean, one headache after another –not that I mean spending the rest of my life with you is a headache, I-" Sirius heaved a large sigh. "That was mean to bring that up right now."

Ginny smiled. "Just keeping you on your toes, dear," she quipped. However, a teensy part of her was disappointed at his reaction. She shook off that feeling and looked around. "Fred and George are here, but I haven't seen Charlie. I wonder where he is."

The Animagus shrugged. "Damned if I know. The last thing I need is him torturing me or just plain killing me right now." He touched a hand to his scruffy chin. "Although he seemed…amiable," he said with a shudder, "on Graduation night. Maybe something's been bothering him."

"Hmm. Maybe…" She rolled her shoulders. _Always when things seem happy and fine, something happens,_ Ginny thought. The witch frowned. _Is that Fate's plan for me? To never stop and get to enjoy life?_

Suddenly, soft lips were kissing her temple. She looked up at Sirius, who winked at her. "Don't worry so much. I'm sure everything's fine with him. 'Sides," he added in a low voice, "our turn to be in a place like this'll come." Sirius smiled as she blushed, and he kissed her temple again.

"Sirius Black!! Get away from my daughter!!!"

"In the meantime, Gin, we have to deal with Mother Hen."

-----------------------------------------------------------^-^3

The rest of the morning was exhausting. Harry came back with Hedwig and Crooks and the rehearsal went as planned –Harry waited with Best Man Sirius and groomsmen Fred and George, Maid of Honor Ginny awaited Hermione alongside bridesmaids Verity and Angelina, Hermione managed to not trip on her way up with her dad at her side. Everything went smoothly, and the pastor reminded them about their practice dinner in the reception hall scheduled for the weekend.

Though Ginny didn't like parting with Sirius, she was glad to return to Harry and Hermione's place around lunchtime. She flopped on the couch in the living room and sighed.

"Are you going to flop somewhere every time we get home?" Harry asked, hanging up his sweatshirt.

The redhead looked over her shoulder at him while Hermione went into the kitchen. "Are you going to prod me every time I do something?" Ginny narrowed her eyes in a Bat-Bogey Hex warning.

Harry caught her drift and averted his eyes, whistling.

"What do you two want for lunch?" Hermione hollered.

"Sandwich sounds good to me," the wizard answered.

"I was thinking of seeing what Miraphina's up to," Ginny stated as she watched Hermione take out bread and sandwich fixings. "Do you mind if I skip out then?"

"Doesn't bother me," Hermione answered. "How long will you be out?"

Ginny shrugged. "Dunno. But I plan on being back for supper."

Harry nodded. "Just do us a favor and don't take any detours."

"Noted." The Weasley daughter went back into the hallway and grabbed a sweater. She opened the door, ready to head out.

"Ginny," Mavrick blurted, standing on the doorstep with worried eyes. "I need you help. I know it's only been four days since you last saw me, but this can't wait. I need your help."

Ginny closed the door behind her and placed a hand on his arm. "Mavrick, what's wrong?"

"It's Raven."

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

**CLIFFIEE!!! Short and kinda dramatic, but not too bad (though I bet most of us are wishing "Sirius should've kissed **_**me**_**!!" right?). So now we enter the Raven arc. YAY!**

**See you in 31!!!**

**-mew-tsubaki**

**P.S. –This chapter goes right to Alianora Serein, for the amazing review and support she's shown me. Let's all support Ginrius with a review, folks!!!**


	31. 31st Telling, 4th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read –and REVIEW!!!

-------------------------------- ^-^3

**The Fourth Sprout (& the Thirty-First Telling)**

"What's happened?" Somehow Ginny managed to get her words past the lump in her throat. After all that had happened in the previous two months, she didn't feel ready for any more action.

The black boy shook his head. "Everything's a ruddy mess…"

She turned his around and ushered him forward. "Why don't we go someplace to talk, okay?" Ginny and Mavrick walked a couple of blocks before spotting an old playground. They went there and Ginny sat in a swing while Mavrick sat atop the slide. "What's happened?" the witch repeated.

"Rave's not talking to me," Mavrick answered.

"And she isn't busy doing something?"

"I haven't seen her either," the wizard replied. "She just won't let me in now that she's back home."

Ginny frowned. "You're sure it's her and not her family?"

"I'm pretty sure. I met her family after the graduation ceremony and I was under the impression that her parents liked me –well, at least her mum. But her brothers were pretty cool, too."

"That reminds me… I didn't see either of you afterwards. I saw Mira and Grant, but you and Raven were kinda absent."

Mavrick hung his head and sighed. "Yeah… I met her family and introduced her to my parents and older brother and Dean, 'cause he showed up, too. But it's like, after all the formalities were over and done with, she was ready to hightail it out of there." He looked at his friend. "Without me."

Ginny winced. "Ouch…"

"But she's been acting strange ever since we rescued Grant," Mavrick continued. "Do you remember when we reached that room after the wyvern? After that Dark Wizard took you, eight more Death Eaters appeared and shot the Killing Curse at us. We all got out of the way, but then Raven stepped forward and swung her wand in an arc, using a nonverbal spell I hadn't seen before to make us invisible to the Death Eaters. When they left, I asked Raven what that spell was. She told me it was a Chameleon spell, something she had learned from her mother."

The redhead snapped her head up. "But she's Muggle-born!! How is that possible?"

Mav nodded. "I know, I know. I pointed the same out to her and she visibly paled. When we got back to school and the impending doom of going home returned, she got quiet, fidgety, and finicky. But it was definitely going home and not exams that bothered her."

"Un-Raven," Ginny commented. She didn't like the feeling she was getting from just talking about the subject. "But she… She was still kinda distant at graduation, like she was still angry and still blaming me for that info I withheld."

"That's not it," he corrected. "Trust me, that's not it. …Ginny," he began slowly, "there's something else you should know." Mav deeply inhaled. "I've seen bruises."

Ginny stood up. "What?" she breathed.

Mavrick slid down and faced her. "On her arms sometimes, her neck once. They're mainly on her legs. That's why she wears jeans all the time. There are some too nasty to cover with make-up or magic."

"Oh my god." She let her eyes drop to the ground. She didn't focus on any one point, but the background was shaking. Yes, Ginny knew Sirius and Harry had gone through very rough times with their families, but this… This was something Ginny didn't know at all. The witch finally looked back at Mavrick. "What do you want me to do?"

"I dunno." Mav shook his head, fighting back tears. "I think her father is the bastard. After graduation, right as they left, he tugged her along, barking at her that they had to get going. He had her wrist and when she got it back, she had fresh red welts around it. She shrugged her sleeve to cover it when she caught my eye."

"That arse!!" Ginny felt her blood boil. "Do you have a plan?"

"Besides beating the shit out of him, yes." Mav sat down on the end of the slide. "I thought maybe you could spend some more time with her, maybe have a sleepover. If you go to her place, I think she'll be safe because a third party's around. I don't think anything would happen with a witness around –especially one who knows magic." He raised his eyebrows, hoping Ginny would acquiesce.

"But her mum and brothers, they're witnesses, too. Why wouldn't they have done anything?"

"Her dad's a big-shot lawyer, Ginny."

Like some things, the word 'lawyer' was universal to both Muggles and magic folk alike. It usually meant bad news. "And he's got to be holding that over them."

Mavrick rolled his shoulders. "Sounds circumstantial, but logical."

"I'm up for it," the Weasley daughter agreed. "But where in Brighton is she?"

"I'll take you there," the wizard said. He stood and offered his hand, which she accepted. They Apparated and landed on a finely paved road. A nearby sign read 'Carver Ave'.

Mavrick tensed as they went down the street, but Ginny kept her hand on his arm. They stopped about halfway down and went up to the burgundy door of a large, periwinkle-painted two-level home. Three cars were parked in the driveway, and it sounded like people were inside the house.

"Well," Mav rasped, "here we are."

Since he looked like a statue, Ginny went ahead and rang the doorbell. It took a moment. Feet pounded downstairs, and then the door flew open. The smile on Raven's face vanished when Ginny grinned at her.

"Hi, Raven," Ginny said.

"Rave," Mavrick pleaded.

But Raven grimaced. "You shouldn't be here." She looked at the witch. "Either of you." But it wasn't anger or venom in her tone; Ginny saw the fright in her moss green eyes.

"Raven, please-" Mav implored.

"Raven, who is it?" a voice came from inside. It was a male voice.

The blonde partially closed the door. "It's no one, Ulric, it's-"

But the door opened again, this time by a man with dirty blonde hair and eye's like Raven's. "Rae, that's not nice. You should let your boyfriend in. And…" His eyes fell on Ginny. "Your lovely friend, as well," he added with a winning smile.

Ginny shook his hand. "Ginny. Taken."

His smile wavered for a fraction of a second, but he remained amiable. "Ulric Crowley, Raven's eldest brother. Please, come in."

Raven glared at him. "Ulric, do _not_-"

Ulric raised his eyebrows. "I only wandered over 'cause Mum heard the bell. She's on her way, too."

Raven seemed to struggle with some words before stepping aside so Ginny and Mavrick could enter the living room. She stayed unruly as Ulric led them into the kitchen.

"Mum," Ulric said to a woman with brassy curls that came to her shoulders, "Raven's boyfriend and friend are here."

Their mother looked up from the cookies she was cutting and smiled; she had the same green eyes as Raven. "Welcome to our home. My name is Valerie."

Ulric handled their introductions. "There," he said, pointing to the man at the table with a newspaper, shaggy blonde hair like Raven's, and blue eyes hidden behind chunky square black frames, "is Trent. Second oldest, desperate bachelor, unlike me." Ulric sent another charming smile to Ginny. "I'm just a devilishly handsome bachelor."

Ginny grinned good-humoredly. "Still taken. Will be engaged. Probably in the near future." She heard a small snicker from Mavrick next to her, and was relieved that the boy had finally loosened up a little.

"Aw, don't worry about him," came another –though effeminate –male voice. A brunette with the same green eyes as his mother, brother, and sister appeared behind Mav and Ginny. "Ric's always chasing skirts. Now _me_, I prefer 'em manly." He winked at Mavrick. "You still with my sister, cutie?"

Mavrick blanched, and Ginny had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep her laughter in.

"Syd," Valerie spoke sternly, "stop staring at the poor boy. You already hit on him Sunday. And he's our guest, so behave."

The youngest brother whistled and rolled his eyes. "Just keeping him on his toes."

Ginny and Mavrick sat down with Syd and Trent at the table. Raven stood at the door, doing her best to look pissed that they had shown up. Ulric helped his mother with the baking. Once the cookies were in the oven, Valerie washed her hands and joined their guests at the table, leaving the clean-up to Ulric.

"So what brings you here?" the mother asked.

The Weasley daughter elbowed Mav when he quickly leaned forward. She didn't want to know what he would spill out of his mouth. "We just wanted to see her. Y'know, talk, hang out."

Valerie smiled. "That's fine. The cookies'll be done in half an hour, so please stay. Our home is your home." She glanced at her only daughter. "Raven, why don't you take them into the game room?"

Raven grimaced again, but turned around. "Follow me."

Ginny exchanged a look with Mavrick. They left with a 'thank you' to the others and followed the witch upstairs. They entered a room with many things Ginny hadn't seen before –_must be Muggle games,_ she thought. Raven tossed some bean bag chairs at their feet, and Ginny and Mavrick sat down across from her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she spat.

"Nice to see you, too," Ginny said sarcastically. "Is that really any kind of way to treat us?"

"I told _him_-" –she flicked her eyes to Mavrick- "-that I didn't want any visitors. I was hoping that saying nothing to you would keep you away, also."

Ginny glared at the former Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. "Actually, that would make me swing by sooner rather than later, dumb arse. You'd raise suspicion."

Raven looked away and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Despite the warm weather, she had on a pale blue turtleneck. She wore jeans, too.

_Everything's covered up,_ Ginny noted. She tossed her hair back. "So what are your plans for now?"

"Right now I'm planning on kicking you two out," the blonde said bitterly.

Mavrick groaned. "Raven, can I even have one _hour_ or your time? I'm your _boyfriend_, for crying out loud!!"

She narrowed her eyes. "So just because we're dating, you're allowed any of my time?"

"No!" he growled. "It's because I love you, Raven!!" He met her glare with his own, and Ginny suddenly felt like she was intruding on something private, for something unspoken passed between the two.

Raven was the first to look away. "Can't you two just leave?" she croaked, her voice raspy.

"We're concerned for you-"Ginny started.

"I don't want your concern!" the blonde hissed. "I don't want anything! Least of all," she continued, looking at Mavrick as she stood, "least of all love."

Someone knocked on the door then and opened it, distracting the trio. A big, burly man with dirty blonde hair and muddy blue eyes greeted them. "Hullo, there. I'm Walter, Raven's father."

A chill crept down Ginny's spine as he entered the game room. Walter looked perfectly normal, perfectly sane, but Raven automatically backed up when he came in. The Weasley daughter got the sense that it was a reflex of the blonde's –a disturbing one, at that.

He passed Mavrick a tray of chocolate chip cookies. The boy took them, though his jaw was noticeably clenched. Walter didn't seem to see it, though. "You must be Ginny," he said with an outstretched hand.

Though she inwardly cringed, Ginny shook his hand. His fingers were physically warm, but Ginny felt only coldness from him. His hand was big and strong –easily capable of leaving marks.

"The cookies are ready to eat, so dig in," he stated with a smile. "I brought them up for your mother, Raven. I just wanted to stop in before I left."

"'Left'?" Raven echoed. There was a glimmer of hope in her tone.

Walter's smile drooped a bit. "Yes, unfortunately. One of the firm's clients is in a bit of trouble. I've got to fly to Chicago with my associates to clear up his mess. I'm heading to the airport in a few minutes. I'll be there for the rest of the month, maybe a little longer." He pulled Raven into a stiff hug and kissed the top of her head. "I think the family can manage without me for a bit, right?"

"Yes," she answered, almost darkly.

He turned to Mav. "Good to see you, too, Morris. Well, then, I'll be on my way. Nice to meet you," Walter nodded to Ginny. They listened to him tramp downstairs. There was some mumbled conversation and the sound of luggage being hefted, and then the door opened and closed. He was gone…for now.

Ginny turned back to Raven. Mavrick hadn't taken his attention from his girlfriend, but the blonde didn't look at either of them. Raven jaggedly combed her fingers through her hair and shivered, her eyes glassy though a small smile crept to her lips. "Thank god… Thank god, thank god, thank god!" she breathed.

Mavrick held out his hand to her, determined to get through her shell. Her eyes flicked to his dark fingers before she hesitantly lifted her hand from its place at her side. When her hand was over his she grabbed it and squeezed his fingers. She needed him again; she needed him now.

_I feel like there's more to the story,_ Ginny pondered as she melted into the background while her two friends simply held hands. _But now's not the right time for questions. Raven's…_broken. At that thought, how right that word sounded, Ginny frowned. _Brokenness is hard to mend. There will always be tiny fragments sharp enough to hurt over and over again._

"Raven!" Valerie called. Her mother came upstairs and entered the game room. Luckily the Crowley girl had composed herself in time for her mother's appearance.

"Thanks for the cookies, Mum. They're delicious," Raven spoke, plucking one from the tray.

"Well, Raven, I was thinking. What about inviting your friends over for a sleepover tomorrow? Girls only, though, Mavrick," she added with raised eyebrows.

Mav smiled. "Of course, Mrs. Crowley."

Ginny crossed her arms. "So what do you say? You, Miraphina and me –girls' night."

Raven smiled this time. "As long as Atherton behaves," she quipped.

"Just don't start anything," Ginny joked. She turned to Valerie. "How does halfway between lunch and supper sound?"

"Wonderful!" Mrs. Crowley replied, reminding Ginny with a twinge in her heart of the way her own mother had been when Ginny was younger.

Mavrick still held onto Raven's hand. "I- We should get going," he stated.

The blonde gave him a tiny grin. "Right. I'll talk to you later, Mav."

Ginny took it as her cue to edge out of the room after Valerie. Once she was out of the room, the redhead caught some of the couple's words.

"I'm sorry about what I said Rave," the wizard intoned in a low voice.

Raven murmured something and then cleared her throat. "It's okay, Mav. I told you I'll talk to you later. But you _should_ head out so someone stops eavesdropping."

Ginny backed away and went downstairs. Ulric and Syd awaited her at the front door. The eldest Crowley brother shook her hand again. "You let me know when you become a free agent again," he commented with a sly grin.

"So we have a set date for after infinity then?" the witch quipped.

Ulric didn't miss a beat. "It's a date."

Syd surprised her with a bear hug. "Maybe you _should_ join the family, Gin. You can keep up with Ulric."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Um, no." She was saved from any further jokes at her expense when Mavrick came downstairs. "It was nice meeting all of you. Thank you for the treat, Mrs. Crowley," she hollered into the kitchen before leaving.

Back outside, the sky was dark and rich with vibrant colors of the sunset. Ginny pulled on her sweatshirt as she and Mavrick walked down the road. It was quiet between them for several minutes.

"What…," the witch began, "what did you apologize for?"

"For telling her I love her," he responded.

Ginny was shocked. "But…that's a _good_ thing, Mavrick."

He shot Ginny a sideways glance. "Not when she told me not to." Mav sighed as they reached their starting point. He continued after they Apparated back to the playground. The wizard faced Ginny as soon as their feet touched the ground. "Remember when you helpfully pushed me into her after we won the Valentine's Quidditch match?"

"Of course," she said with a grin. "You accidentally kissed. Once you two composed yourselves, she said she wanted to hear whatever you had to say later. As I recall, it was the first time she called you 'Mavrick'."

The black boy didn't smile, though, and sat on one of the swings. "She told me she knew what I felt, and that we could give it a shot. There was only one condition: No matter how hard we fell for each other, love was off-limits." He looked up at the sky. "I could fall in like with her; I could fancy her as much as I wanted. But I'm not allowed to love her."

Ginny plopped onto the swing next to him. "But… But…why?"

"I dunno," Mav said, shaking his head. "Maybe that bastard tells her he loves her. Maybe it's just a family thing." They sat in silence for a long time. When the sun was almost gone, Mav stood. "Sorry to throw all of this at you, Ginny. Perfect way to begin life after Hogwarts, right?"

"Mavrick…"

He walked away. "Look after her at your sleepover, okay?" Then he Disapparated, leaving Ginny by herself.

She took another couple of minutes to herself before she, too, left the playground. When she reached Harry and Hermione's place, the smell of supper startled her. Ginny had completely forgotten about lunch.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

**Well. Scary, no? And that's just scratching the surface. So we have the sleepover next, and we'll be seeing Mira. I mean, we haven't seen the bubbly Hufflepuff for two whole chapters! *laughs* Sorry, I'm still on a kick from writing Mira's story, ****At the Moment****. The first 17 chappies are done, and the first 10 are posted. You should really read that and ****To the Future****'s other two companion stories, ****In the Present**** and ****From the Past****. Don't forget to **_**review**_** any of these four stories, either!**

**So look for some more bombshells in the next two/three chapters. And REVIEW!!!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	32. 32nd Telling, 5th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read –and REVIEW!!!

* * *

**The Fifth Sprout (& the Thirty-Second Telling)**

The next morning Ginny sent a small letter to Miraphina using Hedwig. All she mentioned was the sleepover. She decided it would be better to go into detail in person.

"Is everything all right, Ginny?" Harry asked on his way out that afternoon.

She blinked, breaking the telly's hold on her. "Hmm? Oh, yea. I'm fine."

Harry sighed and walked over to the couch. "Ginny, I can tell when you're lying."

The witch looked up at him. "Harry…"

"Talking will help."

Ginny shook her head. "It's not my story to tell."

A look shadowed his face. "Is it Hermione's?"

"Hermione's?" Ginny echoed, surprised. "No, it isn't."

"Oh."

She didn't miss the relief that washed over him, but she also didn't question it. "One of my friends has some troubles, but I really can't talk about them. At least, no right now."

Harry frowned, but he let it go. "…All right. I've gotta get to work, and I don't know when I'll be home next. Tell Hermione for me?"

"Sure."

"And Ginny –you'd tell me if it was dangerous stuff."

"Yes, Harry, I would."

"Good." He nodded. "Right." He finally left then, heading off to the Ministry of Magic.

_Which reminds me…,_ Ginny thought, switching through the TV channels. _What do I want to do with my life? I'm going to need a job to earn money to get my own place. It's not like I can mooch off Harry and Hermione forever. And when I finally get to be with Sirius, I don't want to be just a house mother. I want to help support our kids; I want to do something. And when our kids leave home, I'll _still _want to do some-_ She paused, blushing furiously. Had she really just-? With Sirius-? Her future-?! With KIDS?!!

Hermione came downstairs then. The genius witch yawned and tugged on the hem of her orchid blouse, straightening it. "Where's Harry?"

"Off to work already." Ginny flipped the telly off and turned around. "You look exhausted."

"I am," Hermione answered, yawning again. "I was going over some of the wedding details. I had found a discrepancy but I don't remember what it was…"

"You'll remember." The doorbell rang and Ginny hopped up. "Oh, Miraphina's probably here." She went up to the front door and opened it. Sure enough, Mira leapt on her.

"Hiya, Ginny!" the Hufflepuff said with her usual cheery grin. She patted her purse. "I've got everything I need for the sleepover. My mum even baked us some cupcakes. They're to die for. Do you think Raven'll like them?"

Ginny covered Mira's mouth. "Mira, shut up for a second and come in."

The curvy brunette frowned, but did so anyway. She looked around the house in admiration –and stopped when she saw Hermione. "Oh! Miss Granger! Hello!"

Hermione smiled. "You can call me 'Hermione', Miraphina. I'm only a couple of years older than you." She waved to the girls as she disappeared into the kitchen.

"Right…" Mira blinked and joined Ginny on the couch. "So what's with the sudden sleepover at Crowley's?"

Ginny tried to keep her lips from twisting into a frown or grimace, but it was of no use. "Mira, there's actually a prob-"

"AAAAAH!!" came Hermione's shriek from the kitchen. Automatically Ginny and Mira jumped up and produced their wands, but Hermione came running into the living room. She waved her arms hysterically about.

"_Hermione_!" Ginny yelled. "Shut it! I don't understand a word you're saying, you git!!"

The genius glared at her with a hand on her hip. She held her left palm up, showing a sticky. "_This_ is the discrepancy, Ginny! I'm missing two parts of the wedding party!"

"What?!"

Hermione took on a frazzled look again. "We've got the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, the parents, flower girl, and ring bearer –but I completely forgot about the ushers!!" She collapsed onto the recliner. "Everything else is set, except for the two bloody ushers…"

Ginny furrowed her brow. "What about giving Charlie a part? He and Laurel can do it."

The genius witch looked at her. "You don't know? Laurel left, Ginny. Molly told me a couple of days ago… That's why Charlie wasn't there."

_But…? How…? Why-?!_ She didn't understand it. Charlie had seemed so happy with Laurel and vice versa and –Ginny remembered the tension between them after graduation. Had things not been as perfect as she'd thought?

"Ooh, wait!" Hermione looked at Mira. "Miraphina, you can be an usher with Charlie! You don't mind, do you?"

Mira was flabbergasted. "Ah, I… Uh, whu-?"

Hermione smiled. "Thank you so much, Miraphina! You should come to the practice dinner tomorrow night, 'cause you and Charlie will need the extra practice. This means you're also part of the wedding party, but don't worry about a dress. I'll get one for you." She headed to the front door. "Um, I, uh, have to do something… You girls will lock up when you leave, right? And don't be late tomorrow!" With a slam of the door, it was now just Ginny and Mira.

The Hufflepuff grabbed her friend's arms. "Ginny, you've got to tell Hermione to get someone else for the job!!"

Ginny scoffed, but Mira's cheeks were awfully red. "Mira, if you don't want to be part of the wedding, then you can tell Hermione. She'll understand."

"It's not that!!" The brunette was almost hysterical. She closed her eyes. "I don't want it to come out by accident, when you all aren't ready –probably…"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

Mira opened her eyes. "Ginny, I'm Charlie's girlfriend."

* * *

"_WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!!!_"

The curvy witch winced at the reaction. "I said, 'I'm Charlie's girlfriend.'"

Ginny stared at her incredulously. "I heard _that_!! When the hell did _this_ happen?! He's my brother, for crying out loud! And he was our –Oh my god. You managed to keep it a secret that you were with _teacher_?!"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, really!" Mira said as she followed Ginny to the couch. "But you're the first to know." She forced a half-smile. "At least you have that."

"What the _HELL_?!" The redhead glared at Mira. "What about Grant?! What about what Charlie had with Laurel?! I want the whole story-"

"But we have to go over to Raven's-"

"-now." Ginny flared her nostrils and crossed her arms. She was pissed.

Mira sighed, but regained some amount of fire. "You have no right to be mad at me. I've been with him for about two months."

Ginny tapped her fingers on her arms. "Two _months_?!" she hissed.

"Together." Mira sighed again. She gestured to her outfit. "You don't notice the small things, Ginny."

"I do!" the Weasley daughter protested. She frowned. "Okay, maybe not all…"

"Notice anything _now_?" Miraphina prodded.

Ginny looked her up and down. The girl was in denim jeans and a pink tank top. Her hair was in a side bun, some hair loose below. She wore some jewelry, too, a pretty, braided piece of copper or brass. Ginny stared harder. She wasn't wearing any earrings, though she usually wore small hoops, and she had her hair tied with a blue ribbon- "That's Bill's ribbon!" she shrieked.

Again, the Hufflepuff winced. "Yes, it is."

"Ah-! But-! Wha-! Bill- Bill wore it in the war and Charlie took it after Bill died! Charlie always tied his hair back with it. Why do you have it?"

"Ginny, Charlie cut his hair a week before the last Hogsmeade trip."

The redhead's eyes bugged out of her head. "No, he didn't! Charlie had his ponytail when he and Laurel joined us after graduation –and you held his _hand_!" she recalled. "Something _was_ going on!"

Miraphina coughed, her cheeks almost the same pink as her top. "I admit, it was hard to control ourselves when around everyone else. But that's not the point." She shook her head to focus. "His ponytail then was an Illusion Charm. I suggested he do it because I figured his freshly-shorn hair would cause a bit of ruckus."

Ginny shook her head. "You're lying. Charlie was with Laurel. They're meant for each other. He doesn't have a Charmed ponytail."

The brunette touched her friend's hand. She held up the bracelet she wore. "Ginny… He gave me his ribbon, and he fashioned the cut hair into this band. For me."

"But…" Ginny was at a loss for words. Was she dense and arrogant? This only added evidence to that case. She hadn't noticed Sturgis's feelings for her, she had never stayed in touch with Luna so of course she wouldn't know about Luna and Remus, she had never noticed Raven's odd behavior… And here she was, being told about a secret romance between her best friend and her older brother. "But…Laurel and Charlie…"

Mira slowly shook her head again. "They aren't meant to be."

"That's a nasty thing to sa-" She stopped. "What do you mean?"

There were tears in her eyes as Mira spoke. "Back in February, I saw Trelawney."

"I was there, remember?" Ginny stated. "I went in to ask about you and your then-boyfriend Grant."

"I went to her the night before." The brunette leaned her elbow on the back of the couch and cupped her cheek. "What she told me…scared me."

_Wait –did she get a prophecy, too?_ Ginny thought with a chill.

Mira must've guessed Ginny's thought. "It wasn't like what she told you, don't worry. It's just…" She bit her lip. "She told me that the relationship I was in was a childish idea of romance. She followed that up with the idea that my next relationship would be my permanent one. I would be with my soulmate," the witch added with a stern gaze. "Part of me raged about my relationship being over before it had much of a start. But…the rest of me wanted to know about this mystery man.

"I asked her if those bloody rune-stones told her any details, like if he was at Hogwarts. I wasn't bargaining for how much she could tell me, like he _was_ at Hogwarts near me. He held a position of power, had many scars or tattoos, he had brilliant blue eyes, and…he dwarfed me in height." Her blush slightly returned. "I didn't think much of it then. I was so sure that I had to be wrong, that _she_ had to be wrong, that I told myself to try this again. If it came out differently, then I would just write off the first reading as crap. That's why I brought you back the next day. You went in and came out, saying it was neutral. So, I _did_ write it off."

"And…?" Ginny urged.

"And then Grant left. But he had been cold for a little while after coming back from Christmas break," Mira pointed out. "Even you saw it right before he left. His attitude and absence bothered me, but everyone told me not to worry. Charlie even told me one day that my class work was getting sloppy because my head was elsewhere." The Hufflepuff stretched her shoulders. "I had always talked here and there with him before, but after Grant's departure, I found I spoke with your brother quite a bit. It was a day in May when something clicked.

"Okay, well, there _was_ that day in May," she continued, a thoughtful expression on her face, "but I forgot to tell you about Valentine's Day. I went into your twin brothers' shop and was perusing the shelves when Charlie came up behind me, plucking something dangerous from my hands."

"Fred and George's stuff can be volatile," the Weasley daughter remarked. "What?" she asked when Mira smiled at her.

"It's just… Charlie said the same thing. That was actually day one when he tried to comfort me about Grant –just by talking, I mean!" Miraphina pulled the ribbon out and tousled her hair. "So, back to May. It was during class when we talked. I was irritated and wandered off on my own. It was that day when we were in the forest. I was with my fellow Hufflepuffs, Dana Stanley and Cirdrine Foigeur, that day, but I just needed to blow off some steam, so I went on ahead by myself.

"Charlie caught up with me. I thought I was going to be in a lot of trouble, but instead he had me join him by a tree far ahead of everyone else. While we were walking, it was then that Trelawney's words came back –and I realized everything fit him. I hadn't expected it to, but something in me just…_knew_." Mira redid her hair and continued. "He told me to call him by his first name then, because it seemed to him like I needed a friend. So I talked to him about Grant, though my mind was a little hazy from my revelation. When he helped me stand up when class was almost over, it was like a jolt of electricity passed through my hand in his. Of course," she tacked on in a sad tone, "we couldn't call each other by our first names when around others."

Ginny closed her eyes briefly. "I still don't… How could this have gone from a spark to a relationship so quickly?"

Mira shrugged. "I dunno. What's creepiest about Trelawney's reading is that she even told me the exact height difference –one and a quarter head's length," she said with raised eyebrows.

"I'm glad we're done with Divination."

"Ditto. Anyway… All that time that had passed, and that day happened. Actually, it was that day that we had our detention with Sirius." She watched the recognition pop in Ginny's eyes.

"Making that the night he and I… Charlie saw us and then Tonks'…" The redhead covered her mouth. So much really _had_ gone on around her.

"When you got back," the Hufflepuff continued softly, "Charlie was out of it and he needed a friend. The rest of May, we met a lot in the library. He was really worried about you, especially when Dumbledore found out about your love life. All the while, I was what Charlie was to me: a friend. But it was hard, because I knew I liked him, loved him, and all I could do was be there for him. Often I wondered if things would ever change, and in June they did. We had been in the library as usual and the conversation had taken an uncomfortable shift: He brought up Laurel." Mira observed Ginny for her reaction.

"I take it he didn't instantly fall out of love with her for his love for you to develop."

The seventeen-year-old nodded. "The school year put a strain on him. First, Laurel wanted to meet the family. Then she wanted all of his time, though she was present in some of his classes. On top of it all, she bothered him about settling down and having a family. But Charlie doesn't want that –at least, not at this point in his life. She flew off quite a bit, making it a little easier for us to hang out and I s'pose for him to develop feelings for me." Her cheeks flushed. "Anyway, my mind wandered off in the awkward silence and I imagined kissing him –just a sweet kiss, you know?"

Now Ginny blushed. "I kinda do…except it's hard to not always just make-out with Sirius," she admitted.

"But I didn't imagine it."

"He actually took the initiative and kissed you?"

Mira nodded. "Next thing I know, my mind's flown off. So, I kissed him again, slapped him, and ran."

Ginny laughed while Mira giggled. "Oh- Oh my- That is too perfect…!" The redhead waggled her eyebrows. "Maybe you're not so bad a match for him after all… Did he get angry at you?"

"If he did, he didn't express it. I stopped talking to him, though we kept going to the library. After a while, he surprised me one night with a bouquet of sweet pea flowers. He wanted to apologize and call a truce."

"_You_ had _Charlie_ begging for _mercy_?!" Ginny nearly shrieked. "He's _never_ been like that!!"

"I forgave him, of course and… Ginny…" Mira struggled with the words for a moment. "Just so you know, Laurel had been coming and going for so long and she was gone for almost a week then-"

"What happened?" the other witch asked with a sigh.

"The day when he cut his hair –that was the day I told him my feelings." Mira twirled a piece of hair around her index finger. "He told me he loved me, too."

Ginny observed her friend for a little bit. She knew Miraphina was a good person and it _did_ sound like the Hufflepuff and Charlie clicked. But… Maybe it was the part of Ginny that liked Laurel, or maybe it was a nagging, logical side, but… "Miraphina, as your friend, I have to say this." She made sure Mira was looking at her before she finished. "Don't rush into this. It's good what you have with Charlie, but don't let Fate dictate your life. I let Fate guide me with that ruddy prophecy, and I ended up separated from Sirius. So just… Don't feel you have to follow Trelawney's reading, okay?"

Slowly, the brunette smiled. She nodded. "I know, Ginny; I'm a smart girl. It's okay."

Uncomfortable, Ginny nodded, too. The redhead stood. "Good. Shall we go to Raven's?"

Mira joined her and patted her purse. "With cupcakes!" Her face faltered. "Wait. You said some problem's-"

"-hurting Raven." Ginny poofed her overnight bag down and the two of them left, Ginny locking up behind her. "I'll explain on the way."

* * *

**Onto 33! And FINALLY the sleepover. **_**However**_**, just because you read this chapter doesn't excuse you from reading the Charliephina story, ****At the Moment****. So while you're waiting for 33 (which, unfortunately, might be a while –sorry!), go read Charliephina!! And REVIEW!!!!!!**

**-mew-tsubaki**


	33. 33rd Telling, 6th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read—and REVIEW!

- ^-^3

**The Sixth Sprout (& the Thirty-Third Telling)**

"Okay." Miraphina nervously eyed the door. "This is going to be harder than I imagined."

Ginny grimaced. "I haven't even pushed the doorbell yet." Saying so, she did it, and the two of them nervously waited for someone to answer the door. Telling Mira—even if it was circumstantial—the truth had made the situation seem more real. And if it seemed more real, then it was scarier. Yes, Ginny had fought in the Second Great War. Yes, Ginny had only defeated another handful of Death Eaters not even a month ago. But this… This was out of her hands. And the feeling of helplessness that came along for the ride was the worst thing of all.

Ulric answered the door and swept Ginny into a delightful, flirty embrace before she could escape it. "I knew you couldn't stay away, darling."

Ginny grunted. "Ugh. Mira, this is Raven's oldest brother, Ulric the soon-to-be eunuch."

"Oh, harsh, harsh," the Crowley brother said as he slipped between the two friends. He paused to allow his eyes rove over Miraphina's figure. "Now _you_, my darling, are worth—"

"Ulric! Get out!" Raven appeared in the door and grabbed her two friends and pulled them inside. "You have work!"

His face, his smile, faltered the teensiest bit. "I'm going, I'm going…" And he was gone.

"Stupid brother…," Raven growled under her breath. Amazingly enough, Raven seemed herself. She and Mira even carried on a bit of witty banter. Ginny felt things were normal.

Almost.

The three friends got to Raven's room and settled down. Ginny noticed Raven used the same bean bag chairs as from before, which matched the dark blue interior of the girl's room. Again, Raven wore jeans and a long-sleeved top, but she seemed to be in a much lighter mood than the day before.

"Don't mind him," Raven remarked, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder. "Ulric's harmless, really, and he's married to his job. He won't bother you much past anything that'd cause slight annoyance." She stopped and flopped down onto a beanbag chair, stretching her arms over her legs. "It's weird, isn't it? Having graduated from school?"

Ginny nodded. "Believe me, all I've ever known was school and Harry and company. And even though I missed my last year before…" The redhead looked wistfully out her friend's window. "Yeah, it's weird."

"I dunno," Mira said with a shrug. "I just like to think of it as the next step in our lives. I mean, I thought of it as an end—_the_ end, really. But it's going to be fantastic, figuring out what we can do." She smiled brightly. "Besides, we all have our talents."

Raven smirked. "Why, yes, we do. In fact, Ginny's here is wooing teachers, if I recall correctly."

Ginny's cheeks flushed. "Hey! It was just one teacher! And I really love Sirius! Besides, I'm not the only one with that 'talent,' Mira," she added slyly.

"What? Atherton, were you holding out on us? Spill!"

Ginny got up and went into Raven's bathroom to put her pajamas on early. When she returned, Raven was happily slapping Mira on the arm and Miraphina was looking like she'd been forced to eat a bucketful of beets. "She only skimmed over things, didn't she?"

"Oh, I told her the important parts," the brunette grumbled, taking off her sweatshirt to reveal she had _arrived_ in her pajamas. "Besides, why's it such a big deal, me with Charlie?"

Raven snorted. "I just can't believe you managed to keep it under wraps even _after_ graduation, though. That's really something."

Mira frowned. "We had to. Not only did we see what happened with Ginny and Sirius, but…"

Ginny picked it up from there. "Yeah, there was Laurel to deal with." She sighed. "I still can't believe…" She frowned. Yeah, Mira could be a good match for her older brother, but she'd kinda gotten used to Laurel. It was weird that the woman had not been the one to tame Charlie; instead, it was…a shrimp of a witch.

The three friends chatted for a long while. They hadn't realized they'd basically missed supper until it was eleven at night and Valerie swung up with some stew and baked goods before turning in for the night. "Have a good time girls, but don't stay up all night."

Raven kissed her mother on the cheek. "Yeah, 'night, Mum." She closed the door and passed out the food. However, her left arm bumped into Ginny's and the blonde winced.

Mira saw it, too. "Hey, are you okay?"

Automatically, the former Keeper stiffened. "Fine, I'm fine." She sat back down and eyed both of them. Raven scoffed. "Oh, god. You two came here with ulterior motives, didn't you?"

The Weasley witch reached across and grabbed Raven's arm before Raven could stop her. She yanked up the sleeve and was horrified to see all the fading bruises. "What the hell, Raven?"

The blonde yanked her limb back and scowled. "I knew it. Mavrick was onto it, wasn't he? That's why you came with him yesterday and why you're both here today. Ugh, I _told_ him to leave it alone!"

"Raven, if you're being hurt—"

"Well, I'm not, okay?" She huffed and stood up, pacing the length of the room. Mira looked to Ginny with an expression of hopelessness. Ginny stood up, too.

"You know, I've been through a war. I dated our world's number one celebrity for a while. I spent some of my time recently fighting to put our group of friends back together. And this—"

"You think you know this?" Raven spat, narrowing her eyes. "You think you understand this? Little Ginny Weasley, a hero of the Second Great War, who's been through _sooo_ much. Please. Don't spout that at me. You can handle anything but this. You don't know this. Honestly, you don't know me. If it hadn't been for McGonagall begging your way back onto the Quidditch team, we would've never become friends. So please. Focus on someone outside of yourself for once."

Ginny glared at her. "I'm trying," she said through gritted teeth. "And I never said I know this. But I was to understand. I want to help you. You need someone fighting for you."

"Do you even know what you're talking about?" Raven threw her head back and stared at her room's ceiling. Her morbid smile faded and she crawled into her bed. "I'm going to sleep. Don't either of you make a mess down there."

The redhead glowered, utterly frustrated. Miraphina frowned. There wasn't room for both of them in the sleeping bag on the floor, but Ginny would probably be chucked out the window if she shared Raven's bed. In the end, Mira finished eating and got under the covers behind the blonde. "Ginny, go to sleep," the brunette whispered.

Ginny stood by the door, arms crossed. "I can't, not yet. You go to sleep, I'll come back later." She nodded in reassurance to her friend before exiting the room.

It wasn't like she was going to search for evidence. Hell, it wasn't like she was going to leave, either. But Ginny needed to leave that room. Raven…probably wasn't going to tell her anything. With a dark laugh, she thought that Raven might've even been able to defend against the effects of Veritaserum.

She went downstairs and looked around. The Crowleys had a lovely home. It was both homey and beautiful and it seemed like a fantastic place in which a happy couple could raise a family. Vaguely, she let her mind wander to her future with Sirius… Merlin, all the little ideas were really making her smile.

Ginny sat on the couch in the living room and pulled the crocheted throw from its back and wrapped it around her shoulders. She stared out the window, watching the moonlight. The moonlight was very beautiful, too. An ounce of beauty amidst the tons of darkness.

- ^-^3

Some time early the next morning, Ginny jolted awake. She hadn't realized that she'd fallen asleep on the couch. But the smell of a nearby mug of hot cocoa caught her attention.

"Good morning," came a gruff voice.

Surprised, Ginny looked up into the blue eyes of Raven's second eldest brother, Trent. He sat on the coffee table, offering her the hot drink. She took it and sipped. "Uh, good morning. Can I help you?" The redhead blinked. "Oh, was I not supposed to be in here? I'm sorry, I thought…"

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I take it you butted heads with Raven."

She nodded. "I hope to…work things out. She's my friend."

"I can see that." Trent pursed his lips and watched for a little bit. "You…see through our family sham, don't you?"

Ginny nearly spat her drink out. "Excuse me?"

"You didn't come just for old times' sake. You have a feeling of what's going on." Trent stood and paced the living room, rubbing the back of his neck. He mumbled and cursed something under his breath, too low for Ginny to hear.

"Well, I can't lie… It's part of why—"

"Can you do anything? Anything at all?" he interrupted. He came to an abrupt halt and pinched the bridge of his nose; if Ginny didn't know any better, she'd say it looked as if he were trying not to cry. "Magic… It's all sparkles and incantations, but it can't really protect us from people, right?"

She frowned. Memories from her first year and onward haunted the front of her mind, and she grimaced. "Sometimes…people are the worst of all." Ginny looked up at him. "Um, Trent… Is it really…?"

"We can't stop it and your laws wouldn't allow protection from it. So please. Figure something out."

The witch had to admit, she was stunned. Trent, on first impression, seemed like he didn't know two words to utter to others. But he was the one kinda gushing to her. Not Syd the chatterbox, not Ulric the charmer, but Trent the taciturn.

Trent frowned. "Sorry, I…" He sighed and took a deep breath. "We're not always going to be here for her, so…"

Ginny nodded. "I know." She smiled softly. "But Raven won't either. It's one of the upsides to growing up and moving out."

He nodded in agreement. He scuffed his feet on the carpet, wringing the hem of his shirt with one hand nervously. His eyes darted to the kitchen, his countenance suddenly very embarrassed. "I, uh, I'll go help Mum in the kitchen. She's making waffles for breakfast, if that's okay."

She took the hint. "I'll go wake the others." Ginny left first to save him the awkward moment and returned upstairs. She knocked gently on Syd's room as she passed and then she entered Raven's room.

There was a muffled snore from Mira's side and Raven was fairly quiet. Ginny took the opportunity to get dressed and freshen up. When she came back out, both the blonde and the brunette were awake.

"'Morning, Sleeping Beauties," Ginny joked. Mira smiled and even Raven slightly grinned. "Your mum's cooking waffles for us, so we better head down—"

"You still don't know what you're dealing with," Raven said quietly.

Ginny huffed, not ready to start this again. "Raven, I—"

"But thank you for showing me you are here for me, as awfully mawkish as that sounds," she finished, dropping her eyes to the coverlet. When she looked back up at both of her mates, she seemed like she was regained a bit of light in her. "So…"

"So…"

"So…," Mira joined in.

"So," Raven repeated, "that means that I will definitely tell you guys, when the time's right. Yes, I'll explain my bruises. Yes, I'll explain my wardrobe. Yes, I'll even explain my family dynamics."

With Trent's odd behavior from earlier, Ginny itched to ask Raven all her questions now. But she knew waiting a little longer would be better.

- ^-^3

Breakfast wasn't entirely a quiet affair. Ginny got to know Raven's family—well, Valerie, Syd, and Trent, at least—a little better and it made her think back on her childhood when all her brothers had once been at home.

"What are thinking of doing now that you're out of Hogwarts?" Valerie asked Ginny and Miraphina as they ate.

"I have no bloody idea," Ginny answered truthfully. "There are so many options available, but I really don't feel swayed to do one thing or another." She frowned, feeling stupid immediately as Mira answered.

"My plan is to help out my mother in her pastry shop. I think I'll be able to raise some good money and then I was thinking of seeing where it would take me." Mira shrugged. "Someone once told me that Hogwarts was only _an_ end, so I'm trying to think of everything with the idea in mind that the sky's the limit," she ended with a wide grin.

Raven pursed her lips. "I…was thinking of finding a nice local job and…well, trying out for the local Quidditch team."

"Really?" Mira squealed. "That's fantastic. As long as you're fine with taking orders and not giving them," she laughed.

Raven shot her a look. "Hey, we won several games under my guidance!"

Ginny snickered. "Uh-huh. But practices tended to be abysmal."

"I'll show you abysmal!"

Through lunch, Miraphina refereed a one-on-one match between Raven and Ginny, and Raven's family watched. Ginny and Raven were almost evenly matched, but Ginny had the upper hand: She had more years' experience. In the end, Ginny beat her ten-eight and Ginny and Miraphina had to gather their things.

"We have to leave. Hermione's gonna blow her top if we're late for the practice dinner."

"I don't get it and I never will," Raven stated. "How can you practice for a dinner party?"

"And how are we gonna be late when we haven't even had lunch yet?" Mira groaned.

"When you're early, you're on time; when you're on time, you're late. And when you're late, don't even bother showing up," the Weasley daughter rattled off. "Transfiguration with McGonagall teaches life lessons." She laughed and departed with Mira.

Back at Harry and Hermione's place, Ginny and Mira played Exploding Snap until Hermione arrived to collect them. Ginny thought it odd that Harry wasn't home yet, but Hermione grumbled something about him coming straight from work. And yet, Ginny couldn't discard the feeling that not all of Hermione's bitter mood stemmed from Harry being a workaholic.

In the reception hall, things went off without a hitch. Miraphina felt a lot better knowing that Ginny knew about her and Charlie now and, though he seemed miffed at first, even her brother felt glad he had a sibling with whom he could now talk. Though he didn't like all the prodding and mocking since he'd essentially been the Sirius to Miraphina's Ginny.

After all was said and done for the day and all members of the wedding party were fed, Ginny made plans with Mira for a few more visits with Raven before the wedding. Hermione reminded Mira there'd be one more ceremony rehearsal and one last practice dinner, so Mira would have to meet with them for the sizing for her dress.

Mira pulled Ginny aside before heading home for the night. "Do you think we'll be able to get to Raven?" She frowned. "Do you even think we'll make it through this wedding?" she asked with a nod towards a bickering Sirius and Charlie.

Ginny thought for a moment. Her answer? "Well, saving the world is like a family hobby. And it'll be done."

- ^-^3

**OH. MY. MERLIN. I apologize deeply for those of you following this story from the very beginning. I think it's been almost a year since I've updated this story. Honestly, school ran away with me and…I'll admit. I've learned more about the site and I've been absorbed into the HPFC—Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum. Xo**

**On the bright side, I have over 100 stories now (though many are oneshots) and I almost always have a poll and I run several forums, mod for another, and have 3 challenges in the HPFC, links to all of which you may find in my profile. One of my big things nowadays is anything M&MWP—that's a Mew & Mor Weird Pairing, something much stranger than Ginny/Sirius. Anyway, in the realm of Ginrius, I did a oneshot for them a while ago—"Against All Odds"—and I will of course do more Ginrius in the future.**

**However, my main purpose for this A/N is to inform you all that I'm NOT giving up on this story in case you thought that. ToFu (****To the Future****) is a universe that's too much fun to play in and it really took a while to gather my thoughts, but I have the ending to ToFu and its companion stories all plotted. It just takes time getting there. But, officially, I'm at least bringing ToFu out of hiatus. Once Ginrius is done, I will finish the companion stories and a few oneshots and other fics related to the ToFu universe. Yes, you will probably see some prequels and sequels related to these stories. Just bear with me and have patience as I work hard to bring you all the good quality you deserve. This will be a double-post to make up for my absence on this story, though, so please review! Thank you so much!**

**-mew! :3**


	34. 34th Telling, 7th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read—and REVIEW!

- ^-^3

**The Seventh Sprout (& the Thirty-Fourth Telling)**

It was the day of the second (and last) practice dinner party that Ginny found the jacket.

Honestly, hanging around the house without much to do left Ginny bored out of her mind. Sure, she could flip through her old school books. Sure, she was fascinated with the telly; she laughed at the portrayal of ghosts, vampires, and werewolves on _Being Human_. But Ginny was the youngest in her family and it was only a matter of time before she helped herself to a tour of Harry and Hermione's place.

There was, of course, the downstairs. This included the living room (complete with Muggle furnishings and the television), the kitchen, a rarely-used dining room, and a large closet, along with wide, open passages. The upstairs had another closet, the bathroom, Harry and Hermione's shared room, and two guest rooms, one of which was Ginny's. Crookshanks typically had free reign of the house, while Hedwig remained on her post downstairs in the living room.

Ginny liked that Harry and Hermione didn't mind her making her guest room…her own. She was living here now and they truly welcomed her. So her room had her own personal touches to it, like her posters and photos and such.

Harry and Hermione's room had plenty of personal touches, too. Hermione had her own closet, making Ginny laugh. _Even bookworms can be fashionable_, she thought.

Harry used the drawers for his clothing and both adults kept certain items out in open view. On Hermione's nightstand lay an open copy of _Hogwarts, A History_ and a small velvet box that held her Time-Turner, though Ginny doubted Hermione even had the time to use it.

On Harry's nightstand lay the pieces of the two-way mirror Sirius had given him a long time ago. There was an open box of owl treats, too, and a dusty box that was tattered around the edges. It looked like it had been opened recently and like it seldom came out of storage anyway. When Ginny lifted the lid, she understood why.

It was the photo album Hagrid had given Harry in his first year. The pictures inside showed the many expressions of the happy James and Lily Potter.

Despite peeking a little at the picture of the newlyweds with baby Harry, Ginny flushed and felt like she was intruding on something private. She knew there were pictures of him, Ron, and Hermione and later her, too, following the pictures of the young Potter family, but she didn't look. Instead, she closed the book and tucked it back inside its box.

Looking around, the witch squinted, wondering where _it_ could be… The most obvious and least-guessed place occurred to her: Harry's nightstand's bottom drawer. Ginny cheekily grinned as the drawer slid open, for she was right. The Invisibility Cloak was rolled in a ball in a drawer of its own. She laughed as she closed it; Harry was never really the best for figuring out hiding places. No, that would have to be her and Hermione.

Speaking of Hermione… Finding Harry's Invisibility Cloak piqued her curiosity. If Harry had something "secret" hidden in that bottom drawer, then what might Ginny find in Hermione's…? Don't misunderstand; Ginny knew what she was doing. But she couldn't help but wonder what kind of lives her two oldest mates were leading now.

Funnily enough, this was how Ginny got into the most trouble that day.

See, she was trying to wrap up her snooping with Hermione's nightstand with the understanding that the practice dinner was scheduled soon. Harry and Hermione would be home within the hour, Hermione possibly at any minute. But Ginny opened the drawer.

At first, she wasn't all that surprised. It was a drawer like any other, save for the single pouch resting inside. Ginny lifted it and was taken aback. She knew this pouch… She just couldn't place how she knew it…

Upon opening it, Ginny caught a gold bracelet in the palm of her hand. It was slim and featured a Celtic knot design. Staring at it, she grasped the fragments of the memory—this was Ron's birthday present to Hermione for her seventeenth birthday.

_It's not like Hermione stole Harry from me for no reason,_ Ginny told herself as she packed the piece of jewelry away. _Ron wouldn't have wanted her with anyone else if it couldn't have been him. And me…_ Ginny sadly smiled. _Maybe Raven's right and I need to take the "I" out of the equation. I've…kinda had my happy ending and now I'm seeing my friends and family through theirs._

She placed the pouch back into the drawer—and stopped. The drawer creaked when she put her hand on the wood. _That's odd_, she thought. Upon adding a bit more weight, the "drawer" creaked again and one corner tilted up, revealing a hidden compartment underneath.

She had wanted a secret, but she wasn't quite sure if she'd found one.

Ginny glanced over her shoulder and paused to listen. The house was still obviously empty; Hedwig's cooing could be heard from upstairs and Crookshanks was actually in the room with Ginny, curled up on Hermione's pillow and purring very peacefully. Other than the animals, Ginny was alone.

The Weasley lifted the false drawer up carefully and put it on the floor. What she lifted out, though, was another matter. It was a black short jacket. It was very plain and rather big for Hermione's size and it didn't at all seem like something Hermione might wear. Ginny tentatively sniffed it and frowned; it smelled musty to hear, like the cloth had been stuff in a Potions classroom its entire life. Grossed out, Ginny returned it to its home and fixed anything else she might've touched in the room. All-in-all, she decided she'd had an uneventful day…and thank Merlin for that. She'd tidied up right as Hermione had come home. Off to the practice dinner they went.

- ^-^3

"Ugh." Sirius wanted to smack his head—no, crack his head open—on something hard and blunt and most likely to cause death. "Do I look like your best mate to you?"

Charlie snorted. "Don't screw around with me, Sirius." He grew humble. "Hey, I just… No one else is in the same boat as us, y'know? I would _like_ to have a mate outside of my sister who knows what it's like." He scrunched up his nose. "Though I still don't appreciate that we're similar in such a matter."

Sirius rolled his eyes and cupped his cheek in his palm, leaning on the table and looking at the eldest Weasley kid beside him. "I repeat, do I look like your best mate to you? You were ready to murder me when you found out I'm with Ginny."

He grumbled in response. "Okay, so you're not my first choice." Charlie half-frowned. "But it's not like you're all that terrible a choice either."

"The soup, sirs," said one of the waitresses for the small dinner party.

"Ah, yes, please," Charlie said, moving out of the way so she could place the bowls in front of the two wizards. "But Sirius, thinking about what I've seen, what've I dealt with, and what I'll have to live with, I reckon it's best to at least _try_ to come to terms with you taking my baby sister."

"You sound _so_ enthused," the Animagus muttered with a slurp.

"Ickk, don't do that, it's bad manners. Anyway…" Charlie sighed and stared at the other members of the wedding party. Without looking at him, he proffered his hand to Sirius under the table. "Truce?"

Sirius gaped at him. "Are you—?" He narrowed his eyes at him, wondering if he was being played. Although, the more he thought about it, the more it nagged him that it would be _really_ helpful to have an ally for any future times in which he'd have to go up against Molly and/or Arthur… Begrudgingly, Sirius shook Charlie's hand. "So you were saying?" he asked with a sigh.

"I was telling you that I had problems from the beginning, with Laurel, if you don't mind. Mira's the only one who knows just about everything I dealt with and I would like another male view of it."

"Well, the whole kids-and-family thing when you're not ready is just disastrous. For James and Lily…" Sirius grinned. "_That_ was a family that made sense. There was no reason for them _not _to have a family right away." Sirius snickered. "As for my parents, they just should never have had children." He winked. "Trust me, as far as bad parents go, Walpurga and Orion Black were and forever will be the worst, even if they _are_ six feet under the ground by now."

Charlie stared at him. "I thought your mother's portrait was still at Grimmauld Place?"

Sirius grinned. "In storage with a gag, actually. I took her down the first I had the chance. Took a while, really, nasty Sticking Charms in place. But it was needed." He sipped a little bit of red wine. "Ooh, good stuff." He turned back to Charlie. "And what do your parents think of Miraphina?"

The redheaded man seemed anxious. "Oh, they like her…as Gin's friend. I mean, I told Mum last week about me and Laur. It was a few days after it'd happened. But, like I've pointed out several times, the only ones who know are you and Ginny."

"Ah…"

"'Ah…?'"

"You…"

"I…?"

Sirius had a devilish glint in his eye. "You _need_ me." Charlie groaned as Sirius laughed. "So much for wanting to terrorize me, huh? Not when _you_ need an ally." He smile was genuine, though. "Look at it this way, Charlie—You now have someone who's done most of the screwing up and can help you not do any of those stupid things."

The two wizards let the conversation drop for a little bit as Harry and Hermione fumbled to end the night so everyone could go home. Once the wait staff began clearing the table, the wedding party began clearing the hall. Charlie partially walked out with Sirius. "You wouldn't consider being with Ginny one of those…?"

The Marauder shook his head. "Nope. Falling for Ginny was probably the smartest thing I've ever done."

- ^-^3

**Heehee. :D I thought we hadn't seen Sirius in a while. I'm thinking of sticking some more of him in here in the next chapter, thought I'm definitely starting to wrap things up… I mean, there are a few new things to add in since I just had another "LIGHTBULB!" moment, but yeah, we're nearing the end. As of this moment, I'm thinking ToFu will end in the 40-ish chapter range, but I can't make any promises… Besides, even when it **_**is**_** over, I still have some surprises up my sleeve… XD**

**Review and maybe you'll find out!**

**-mew! ;) **


	35. 35th Telling, 8th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read—and REVIEW!

- ^-^3

**The Eighth Sprout (& the Thirty-Fifth Telling)**

"Please give me my best mate back," Sirius groveled as Remus drank his coffee.

"What, you don't like having Big Brother Charlie on your side?" the werewolf teased as he turned the paper of the _Daily Prophet_.

Sirius scoffed. "It's not that bad. But I told you, he's in the same boat as me. Besides, I haven't seen you since the graduation ceremony. Why're you holing yourself up in here?"

Remus shook his head. "You don't quite get the meaning of 'solitude,' do you?"

"Nope. People are much more fun."

"Well, I like solitude, Padfoot. Haven't you learned that much all these years?" He passed his friend the _Prophet_ and dug out the _Quibbler_. "Things are steady with Ginny, I take it?"

Sirius grunted. "More or less. I haven't really had any time with her. I s'pose I could visit Harry and Hermione…but those two are always so busy. And Molly and Arthur are always watching me like centaurs when we're doing anything related to the wedding."

"Sirius, did you really miss the point there? What you just spelled out for yourself?"

"No, what?"

Remus sighed. "Agh, never mind… By the way, I was thinking…I wouldn't attend." He winced as Sirius slammed his hand on the table.

"Mooney!" Sirius scolded. "How could you? This is Harry, for crying out loud! Harry! Our Harry! James' and Lily's Harry! _Harry_!"

"What about Hermione?"

"Well, we like Hermione, too, but _Harry!_" Sirius frowned, disappointed that his best mate was even thinking about not attending his godson's wedding. "Remus, that's cruel… I mean, if you had just waited and at least _acted_ like something had come up instead, I could've brushed it off… But this is premeditated!"

Remus gave him a look. "Hey! I'm not committing murder! I just… I dunno, I just don't think there's really a place for me there."

"Why?" The Animagus pointed to the newspaper in the were's hand. "Anything _Quibbler_-related?"

"No," Remus replied shortly. "I haven't seen much of her. She and I…had a small falling out."

"About what?" This was the first Sirius was hearing of anything of the sort, a fact to which he didn't take kindly.

"It's nothing," Mooney grumbled. He stood and finished off his coffee. "But look… I really don't want to be at any weddings right now."

The Black wizard stood, as well. "Because of Tonks."

Remus was silent for a minute. "Actually, partially, yes." He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sirius."

"Yeah, yeah…" Sirius tried not to think about how quiet this house was without the sound of Tonks in it… "Uh… That thing I missed…?"

Remus raised one eyebrow. "Like you're a saint and you'd only visit Ginny with supervision."

Sirius smacked his own forehead. "OH! Of course! Merlin, how could I be so _thick_? Thank you, Remus. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Probably with one or two fewer O.W.L.s, if memory does serve correct," the brunette responded with a laugh.

The gray-eyed wizard squinted and slapped his mate in the arm. "Git."

- ^-^3

"Oh, Merlin…," Ginny groaned to Raven and Miraphina. "Save me from Hermione…!"

Miraphina grimaced. "Save you? Save _you_? Do you realize how many times she had me measured? And she just wouldn't let Madam Malkin do it herself!" The shrimp hugged her arms around her chest. "Oh my god, I don't think my boobs have ever felt so violated…!"

Raven, on the other hand, was laughing. Very hard. "I'm so glad I'm not involved here!" She snorted. "You two look like something the Skrewt dragged in!" And then she had another fit of laughter.

Ginny nibbled on the slab of jelly toast in her possession. She and Mira had slept over again, something to which Raven was growing accustomed. They'd visited her once in between the first and this second stay and Ginny felt right at home.

"Oh, so did you guys get the letters?" Raven asked, changing the subject.

The redhead blinked. "What letters?"

"From Grant. Or Mav, whoever sent a note first." The blonde drew her hair up into the usual ponytail. "Grant's relatives let him move out. The only thing is, Grant doesn't really have a place to go. Mavrick decided he'd push his schedule up a bit, too, so Mav and Grant are renting an apartment together. Mav says it's really roomy."

"Wow… So Draco couldn't handle one extra mouth to feed?"

"Oh, his cousin, right? It's not that. Grant has family money and Mav says he was getting along fine with the family. But there's not much room since there's the baby. His cousins have their hands full raising…"

"Sage," Mira offered.

"Right, Sage. Supposedly Grant's an okay babysitter, too, so he still comes by and watches her when her parents need a breather, but officially the first two out on their own are Grant and Mav."

Ginny leaned on her first and grumbled. "Not fair. I'm the eldest. I wanted to… Well, doesn't being with Harry and Hermione count?"

"Eh, you're not really supporting yourself. And while Grant has the money, he's trying to find work. Last Mav knew, he was looking to work for the company that makes Sleekeazy, says he has some ideas to help them expand their range of beauty products."

Miraphina burped. "Excuse me. It's not like he couldn't do it. He's brilliant at Potions and Charms and…he's Grant."

"Here, here!" Ginny said.

"What's the plan for today?" Raven asked.

"Oh, it's the last run-through of the ceremony," she offered. "The wedding's Tuesday and, as long as Hermione doesn't kill Crookshanks for chasing the train of her gown instead of being the ring feline, everything should go off without a hitch. Which reminds me…" Ginny got up and headed to the bathroom to dress.

"What, 'hitch?'" Raven called. "Did Black propose?"

The Weasley daughter ran out of the bathroom, red in the face. "HEY! Leave Sirius alone!" She paused. "And no, he didn't. He shouldn't right now, anyway. It's too much of a headache dealing with the remaining two-thirds of the Golden Trio."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I meant that Mira and I are supposed to leave early," Gin answered, to which Mira whined. "You and I need to get changed and help Hermione prepare, too. We have to figure out how much time she'll need the day of the wedding, so she'll need all women in the bridal party." She grunted and tried hefting Miraphina off the floor. "Come _on_, Mira!"

"But there's candy here!" the brunette stated, pointed to Raven's stash of Chocolate Frogs.

"And you can have some candy later, after the wedding. Don't you want to fit into your dress? Or do you really want Hermione to measure you again?"

"Crap, no. I'm moving, I'm moving." Mira grabbed her things and playfully yanked on the blonde's pony. "Y'know, it sucks. You're the youngest, yet the tallest of us three. And I'm so damn short."

"We doubt Charlie minds," Ginny and Raven said in unison.

"HEY!"

Amazingly enough, no one was late for this last, dress rehearsal. And everyone was on their best behavior, too. Even Fred and George weren't goofing off or dressed oddly.

It didn't take Mira and Ginny long to figure out why.

In the dressing room, Hermione was oddly complacent about certain things and weirdly hysterical about others. She didn't care about her makeup, but she cared about her perfume. She told Angelina and Ginny that they could do anything with her hair, but she flew off the handle when Verity joked about her delicates beneath the gown. In short, Hermione was truly being a bridezilla.

Ginny took a break while Hermione ranted about having her veil even though she paid for it. She stepped outside the room and found Jane and Molly talking. "Why aren't you two in there?" she asked the mothers in exasperation.

Jane frowned. "I don't know why she's like this. It's very un-Hermione."

"Oh, it's probably just a case of nerves," Molly reassured the genius' mother. "You should've seen me right before I married Arthur. I was a right mess!"

"Mum, she's like PMS set past 'HIGH.'"

"Oh dear."

Ginny sighed. "Please, one of you, think of something to say. I'm going to grab some fresh air." By "fresh air," Ginny meant she was stealing away to see how the men were faring.

Harry was the complete opposite of Hermione. He was as calm as ever. "Well, once you've faced Voldemort, I reckon you can face anything," he thought aloud.

"You're not nervous at all, Harry?" Charlie asked.

Harry actually thought about it. "No," he replied. "I guess I just see it as another milestone," he said with a large grin.

"Lucky you," Fred grumbled.

"We've been engaged for two years each," George added. "I'm beginning to think Angelina and Verity are in cahoots with each other and are evilly making us wait."

Fred paused. "Um, maybe it has something to do with waiting a while before popping the question."

"True, true. Still sad."

"I'm with you there, mate."

"How're the girls anyway?" Charlie inquired. "Is Miraphina okay being with the family?"

"Idea!" the twins chirped.

"Miraphiny's on her owny…," Fred stated.

"She looks like she could use a date…," George hinted.

Charlie flushed. "Fred, George, leave it alone!"

"Well, Miraphina seems like she fits right in, from what little we've seen," George said. "C'mon, Charlie. Join us!"

"Or join Sirius," said his twin. "Miraphina was in your class wasn't she?"

At that, Ginny, Charlie, and Sirius all nervously laughed…and barely managed to change the topic to Quidditch. Good thing, too, as the idea of another child mixed in a student-teacher romance had most definitely caught Arthur's attention.

When everyone (including Queen Bee Hermione) was ready, the practice ceremony commenced. Just like before, things were as perfect as anything can go. Mira did an excellent job of directing things with Charlie, and neither of them gave away that they had ever been more than friendly, though Ginny did have to give Sirius a warning look when he was about to tease Charlie for complimenting Mira on her dress.

Despite all of this, however, the mood was not cheery. Everything was in order, everything was perfect—but the happy couple was anything but happy.

Ginny had been watching Harry and Hermione all day long and sharing comments with her best friend. Mira thought it was all hinky, too, but neither of them understood why. Harry was cool and collected to a point, but Hermione…

Well, if it's possible, Hermione radiated _ice_.

It felt like Hermione was trying to keep something bottled up inside. She was short in answer to a few questions, but overall she was polite in that clipped way that reminded Ginny a little of Narcissa Malfoy. She didn't just have cold feet, it seemed; she was just an ice sculpture.

"I don't have cold feet," Hermione told the youngest Weasley in undertones when they returned home that Saturday night. Harry had gone to bed early and the two witches were staying up to have a little something extra to eat.

"I'm not saying you don't want to marry Harry," Ginny rushed, not wanting to start a fight when it was getting late and she was feeling drained.

"No, but that's what you're implying," the bushy-haired woman retorted. "And why should you feel the need? In just a few days, I'll marry him and everything will be just as it should be."

"Then why do you look like you simultaneously want to murder someone and cry?"

True. Hermione's eyes were glassy, but her expression was one of chilled fury. She stopped washing the dishes from the day before to rest her hands on the sink ledge. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped it. "Because," she began slowly, "sometimes you wish it could all happen at once and sometimes you want to blow it all to pieces." Hermione blinked a few times, passed off a sniffle as a cough, and dropped the dish back into the sink, stating that she was going to take a long shower and then go to sleep.

Ginny was the last one up. She milled about in the living room with the telly on for a bit, but she couldn't focus on it. When she went up to her room ten minutes after, she found she couldn't sleep, either. The witch groused about it and turned on her side to stare at the windowsill. Her mind was buzzing with words and ponderings and it sucked—all these years and she had never felt more that Hermione was only a little over a year older than her. And she was sure she'd never reach Hermione's level of maturity. In a way (though she was plenty happy with her Animagus), it felt like Hermione had stolen Harry and her life all over again.

- ^-^3

**Just so it's understood, I _don't_ like Hermione more than Ginny. But I think it's reasonable to think that Gin would compare herself to the genius witch even all these years later. And yes, Hermione's secret will be revealed—probably in the next one or two chapters.**

**Anyway…REVIEW! Wow, I can't believe I got 35 out so fast. :3**

**-mew! XD**

**P.S.—This chappie is dedicated to JulieMalfoyZabini. Thanks for such quick reviews, Julie! I'm so glad you loved the updates and hey, I don't mind you rereading the story. Everyone should! XD X3 Thanks again! (And I'll see how fast I can get ch36 out, too!)**


	36. 36th Telling, 9th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW**! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read—and REVIEW!

- ^-^3

**The Ninth Sprout (& the Thirty-Sixth Telling)**

When Ginny awoke the next morning, it seemed like everything was perfect, though the wedding was still two days away. The birds outside her window chirped merrily and the sky was a cheery shade of pale blue.

The redhead got out of bed and dressed in a tee and jeans and glanced at the clock in her room. It said that the time was half past nine. Ginny thought it odd that, as this time in the morning, neither Harry nor Hermione were making any noise downstairs, whether in the kitchen or living room.

She left the room and peeked down the hall. The door to their bedroom was open. Ginny checked it and saw that it was empty. Befuddled, she turned around and hovered near the top of the stairs. There was a funny, fuzzy feeling in her ears…

Concerned, she took the stairs two at a time and stared around the house. It was completely quiet! And she knew it shouldn't be. She entered the kitchen—and ducked. Harry and Hermione were arguing, and Hermione was throwing the things closest to her: walnuts.

It clicked then. Ginny waved her wand and ceased the incantation cast. She glared at both of them and wondered if they would even hear her over their own hoarse barks. "_And who thought it funny to cast __Muffliato__ on me?_"

Harry and Hermione stopped at her scream. Both still glared at the other, though, and both were huffing. Harry wiped his chin, which had been scraped by Hermione's projectiles. "Sorry, Ginny," he answered shortly. "I just thought you wouldn't want to be up yet."

"Certainly not awake to this," Hermione sniped, turning her eyes away as she rolled them. She gripped a walnut in her hand so tightly that Ginny and Harry could hear it start to crack.

Ginny looked from one to the other. "What is _with_ you two? You were all fine yesterday! You were acting as if your wedding day couldn't come faster!"

Harry shook his head. "Oh, it's bullshit, Ginny. There never should've been wedding plans. Hell, there never should have been an engagement!"

Hermione looked at him as if he were a Death Eater and had just murdered her parents. "Shut. Up."

"No!" The Boy-Who-Lived ran a hand through his hair, making it messier. "No, I won't be silenced! You shushed me before, making me think that everything was all right! But it wasn't. It never was. It wasn't right from the moment Ron left."

Ginny flinched at his casual reference to that event. "H-Harry… Calm down… Maybe the two of you can civilly talk this out… Or maybe the three of us can talk…"

"He doesn't want to do the talking, Ginny," Hermione stated with another glower sent Harry's way. "He wants action. 'Get this done, get that done.' 'I'll show up when needed…' It's how he lives. Harry has to have everything planned out for him; he'll just play the part left for him."

He stared at her like she was mad. "Are you—? Good god, Hermione. I've seen some crazy reasoning from you before, but this takes the cake." He smacked his open hand to his chest. "I never have anything planned out for me! Things just always happen! C'mon—after _how_ many years of being mates, you should know by now that nothing was ever in my control. Certainly nothing this time."

"Oh, you—!" Hermione flushed and heaved her chest. She grabbed several more walnuts, chucking them as she spoke. "I—" _**Chuck**._ "—am—" _**Chuck**._ "—_not_—" _**Chuck**._ "—some-some harlot!" She threw two more for good measure.

Ginny couldn't believe her eyes. These two were fighting like children and _why had Hermione stated she wasn't a harlot_? The Weasley daughter flicked her wand after Harry was knocked off his feet to stop the last few nuts. "Hermione, get a grip! There's no reason to pummel Harry with these! Are you okay, Harry? Harry? …Harry?"

Hermione deflated as the two witches turned as saw Harry floundering on the kitchen tiles. "Harry…?" the brunette asked timidly. She came closer. "Ha—Oh my Merlin! _Harry_!"

Both women dropped to his side. One of the walnuts had been deadly aimed. Harry had a whole walnut lodged in his throat and he couldn't choke it free. His wand had flown several meters out of his hand behind him and his empty hands were clawing at his neck, his fingers trying to push the walnut up from the outside.

"_Hermione_!" Ginny screeched. "You choked him! He can't breathe!"

"Uh, hold on," Hermione spluttered, their argument forgotten. She fumbled to withdraw her wand and pointed it at her fiancé. "Er…"

"What's the spell to get him to breathe?" Ginny cried. "He needs it now, Hermione! Come _on_! You always remember these things!" She held Harry's head on her lap and tried to get him to stop flailing. "_Hermione_!"

The genius squinted, trying to remember. "I-I remember _something_… I think it was in…"

"We don't need to know what book it's from! _We need the spell_!"

"R-Right!" Hermione, panicking, steadied her wand arm. "_A-Anapmeo_!"

As she said it, Ginny recalled the spell and knew Hermione had screwed up. For the spell was not "Anapmeo" at all. It was "Anap_neo_." And Harry didn't look any better.

The effect was quite the opposite of freeing his airway. Instead of dislodging the walnut, it grew to three times its normal size and Harry could no longer even wiggle it around. It was as if the walnut had cemented in his throat. However, as one spell had already been incorrectly cast, there was no hope for Anapneo; the object was too large to fly out of Harry's mouth now.

"Shit," Ginny groaned. "Let's Apparate him straight to St. Mungo's."

- ^-^3

At St. Mungo's, Harry was seen to right away. A couple of Healers whisked him out of sight and Ginny waited with Hermione in uncertainty. Ginny had more time to get a better handle on her surroundings here. It was very different from the time when Tonks had her miscarriage.

This time, though Ginny was still worried, was not as urgent. They knew that Harry would be okay, but they didn't know how quickly things would be remedied. Ginny didn't bother chastising her friend; Hermione definitely understood the ramifications of her actions.

"So why were you two arguing?" the younger witch asked.

Hermione stared at the floor.

"Are you going to be a clam until Tuesday?"

No response.

"Fine." Ginny stood up from the chair in the waiting room. "I'm going to go for a walk. Be here when I get back and please—no more walnuts." She saw Hermione blush, but she didn't touch the subject again.

Ginny wandered the hospital, taking in the area. She went up to the fifth floor for a drink at the Visitor's Tearoom, but when she finished, she felt she still did not want to return to the unhappy couple yet. Instead, Ginny traversed the other floors of the hospital, skipping over Harry's level (Spell Damage).

On the third floor, Potion and Plant Poisoning, she shrank back from several of the rooms. Many of them houses victims with uncontrollable vomiting. Judging by some of the other residents, Ginny wasn't going to want to go anywhere near these people; some of them had nasty, Blast-Ended Skrewt-colored rashes.

Magical Bugs, the second floor, was worse than the third. Most of the patients had something contagious. Dragon Pox, Scrofungulus, Vanishing and Levitation Sickness… One person had tentacles for arms, and Ginny didn't want to know what that unlucky wizard had caught.

The first floor (Creature-Induced Injuries) intrigued the witch. Bites, stings, burns—growing up with a horde of older brothers, Ginny had seen it all. Bill had had scorpion stings from his work in Egypt, Charlie was burned all the time by his dragons, and Ron had always gotten bitten by Scabbers (obviously before they knew the rat was Pettigrew). Ginny had a hard time leaving the floor. One witch was patching up a wizard with silvery gauze.

Ginny was only observing until the witch saw her. "Oi, you there! Grab the end of this, will you?"

As she was the only one in the direction of the witch's sight, Ginny hurried forward and held the gauze with both of her hands as the witch melded the end to another level of the material. She waved Ginny off when the gauze appeared to hold.

"Thanks for that." The witch looked at her, light brown eyes bright. "Are you the newbie?"

Coming unfrozen, Ginny slowly shook her head. "Sorry…"

"Pity. We really need more people around here." The witch tightened her blonde bun and urged the wizard to rest. "…There. All right. I guess he's good for today."

Ginny stared at the man over her shoulder as the witch pushed her out of the room. "What scratched him?"

"A nundu, poor bloke," the Healer answered. "We've done what we can, but he's been here for a week." The witch stared at Ginny, intoning, "Never visit East Africa, if you ask me. The place is rampant with them."

Ginny dumbly nodded, feeling strangely like this was a real Care for Magical Creatures class. "Will he be okay?"

"Well, the nundu didn't breathe on him. For that, he should count his lucky stars."

"Nundu breath can demolish whole villages and towns."

The witch looked Ginny up and down, evaluating her. "Are you sure you're not the newbie?"

"Yes…"

"Hmmm."

"Um…good luck with your other patients," the Weasley wished awkwardly. She didn't know what else to say, so she politely waved and left. Ginny's visit to the ground floor (Artifact Accidents) was brief and boring, and she stopped by the Visitor's Tearoom once more before checking on Harry.

Hermione was still rooted to the spot in the waiting area when Ginny returned.

"Have you gone in?" Ginny asked. "Or has anyone said anything to you?"

Her friend shook her head.

Ginny sighed, annoyed. "Look, if you want to focus on how things led to this, then by all means go ahead. _I'm_ going to see if I can find him." She turned.

"Ginny, wait! L-Let's find him together." Hermione was frowning, but she did look concerned. She wasn't thinking about how she looked to Ginny in the earlier argument. She wanted to see that Harry was safe.

Together, they grabbed a lowly custodian and asked him for directions. He wasn't of much help; he could only point them to the head Healer. Luckily, the head Healer took them right to Harry.

Harry had been fixed and mended and was all too happy to see the witches. "That hurt more than a dementor attack," he quipped.

Ginny hugged him tightly. "Are you sure you're okay? That thing—"

"It was frozen in stone," he grunted, rubbing his neck. "But they reversed things and I'm okay." He raised his eyebrows at Hermione.

"I'm sorry," she bluttered.

"Hermione, don't—"

"No, Harry, you're right and—and I didn't want to say I was wrong." She pushed her hair out of her face, her cheeks tinged with color. "The wedding's off."

Ginny couldn't believe her ears. All this preparation—gone, after one fight? "_Hermione_—" She shoved Harry. "Harry, say someth—" She stopped as Harry nodded.

"All right," Harry said. "I won't ask for our deposit back from the church and certain things can't be returned, but I'll make some calls and such. We can stop this with a day to spare."

Hermione nodded, too. "Yes. I'll send the necessary owls and—"

"Are you two bonkers today?" Ginny felt like they were playing a particularly cruel joke on her. "You—"

"Gin," Harry said quietly as he followed Hermione out, "please. Don't talk about matters you know nothing of."

"Harry… When did I become a little girl to you guys? First Mum and Dad, and now you and Hermione…" She frowned. "Just tell me."

"Some things are better left unsaid," Harry grumbled.

The elevator ride was quiet and excruciating. Neither of them said a word to Ginny, and she was ready to send a Bludger or Howler to them both. Just as her anger was building to a peak, it ebbed. The witch from before passed Ginny on the trio's way out.

She passed Ginny a card. "I'm Camwyn Berthier. Come back and get a feel for my floor, dear. I knew I recognized you… Ginny Weasley, right? Second Great War hero…" Camwyn winked. "You could be great Healer material, too."

At home, Ginny owled Sirius with her opinions. Harry and Hermione had blown up… On the bright side, she now might have a future.

- ^-^3

**YAY! 36! And the secret is coming up in the next chappie… Though those of you who've read From the Past know what's going to be said… B)**

**Chappie dedication: AdriannaZaria. Thanks for such a nice review! :3**

**Also thank you to the flood of favorites and alerts, everyone! I'm so happy to see that even towards the end, ToFu still delights. ;)**

**Review if you want the rest of the story ASAP!**

**-mew! XD**


	37. 37th Telling, 10th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW**! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read—and **REVIEW**!

- ^-^3

**The Tenth Sprout (& the Thirty-Seventh Telling)**

Sirius' suggestion was that Ginny let Harry and Hermione blow off some steam. If they knew those two, then Harry and Hermione would calm down and probably realize that merely harsh words had been said. Sirius was sure that the wedding would be back on in no time.

Sirius was also very, very wrong.

According to what Ginny kept owling him every hour or so, Harry and Hermione were putting their all into doing one thing together: cancelling the wedding. Hermione divided up the work, Harry looked over his bit, and then the two set about their business.

To the Animagus, it was as if Harry had disappeared from his life all over again. And that was not a thought Sirius liked to entertain.

At Ginny's urging, Sirius invited Harry over to Grimmauld Place for supper. That wasn't much fun at all. Harry was quite the downer and didn't even stay for a drink.

Then it was Ginny's turn to heckle Harry.

- ^-^3

**_Fwump_**.

"Get up, you boneless sack of laziness."

Harry stared up at Ginny. He was on the couch in the living room, in her spot. As she couldn't watch the telly, she took one of the nearby cushions and hit him over the head with it. Harry just looked at her.

Ginny frowned. "Harry, get a hold of yourself. You look pathetic."

"And why shouldn't I be? I'm the one sleeping on the couch," he groused as his attention returned to the television. "But it won't be for much longer. Hermione said she'd move out soon."

"And neither of you cares to tell me why that is?"

"I…" Harry closed his mouth, fumbling for the right words. "It's too much. She kinda played me from the beginning."

Sensing _someone_ was finally going to open up, the witch gently sat on the couch's arm. "What happened?"

"Hermione…wasn't seeing just me," he revealed. He removed his glasses and wiped them. "I actually thought she was seeing that guy from her favorite book shop on Diagon Alley."

Ginny vaguely remembered him. He was blonde with glasses and he was always half-hidden by the bookshelves. Hermione had only dragged her in there once; Ginny had never been back. But if memory served her correctly, Ginny knew that guy was only a few years older than Harry and Hermione. "If it wasn't him, then…?"

Harry shook his head. "Trust me, you do _not_ want to know."

"Considering certain things, like Luna being with Remus—yes, she is—I'm pretty sure I can handle what you throw at me."

"It's a rather vile idea, Gin," he stated with a sour look on his face.

"Entertain me. But I'm not playing twenty questions with you, Harry!"

He paused once more, listening to Hedwig's coos on the floor above. Hermione wasn't home, so it wasn't as if Harry would be offending her if he opened his mouth. With a final sigh and the realization that he couldn't avoid it any longer, he started.

- ^-^3

"Good ol' Tom! One firewhiskey, please!" Sirius said as he playfully smacked the countertop. Tom the bartender nodded with a grin and produced the drink. Sirius raised his glass. "Thanks, mate. I've been needing one of these since the end of the school year."

"I never thought I'd live to see the day of Sirius Black as a teacher," Tom commented. "Then again, look at how much has changed all these years."

Sirius smiled, thinking about everything that had led up to him sitting there, a free man. "No. Think how far we've come."

Tom nodded again before disappearing into the back, leaving Sirius alone to nurse his only firewhiskey of the night.

It really was a sign of how far things had come. He remembered all too well his years in Azkaban. Then escaping, hiding, being in the Order, those lifeless years in the veil, and now this… And to think, Lily and James had given their lives for their son and Harry was alive—but he was setting himself up for failure by breaking apart his almost-marriage. It vaguely occurred to Sirius that maybe he and Ginny would be the only ones with the happy ending this time around…if Molly and Arthur could ever come around.

The barstool beside him creaked and Sirius glanced at the witch. He had to do a double-take, though, realizing it was Hermione. She had her hair swept up in a plait and she wore an ugly black jacket over a T-shirt. She looked like shit.

"Hello, Hermione," he said cautiously.

She blinked, apparently just recognizing him, too. "Oh, Sirius! Uh, I'm sorry… It must be strange seeing me after…you know…" She bit her lip. "Are you going to call me an idiot?" she asked with a hollow laugh.

"No, you don't need that." He cupped his cheek in his palm and leaned on the countertop. "But I _am_ wondering what's running through that head of yours."

Hermione smiled a little. "Doesn't everyone? …even I do, sometimes…" She ordered a firewhiskey, too, but she didn't touch it. "I can't believe I ever considered…"

Sirius frowned. "Hermione…"

She ducked her eyes and closed them. "Sirius, I had to leave Harry. I'm in love with Sev."

The statement took Sirius a while to process. One didn't often hear "Sev." The last time Sirius had heard that nickname, he'd been attending Hogwarts and James still didn't have Lily and Lily was still best mates with… "Snivellus."

The witch glared at him. "Don't call him that! He's a person just like you!"

Sirius grimaced, certainly thinking otherwise. He didn't know how to react. He was shocked, though he could remember their interaction at the Christmas party and other cases in which Snape appeared to respond a little much over something in regard to Hermione or Harry and Hermione. However, a slow simmer won over the surprise. Not only did Sirius recall all the years Snape had with Lily that could've belonged to James, but Sirius remembered every bad instance he'd ever had with the bat. This past school year, Sirius (with much cajoling from Remus) had done his best to let bygones be bygones with Snape. But this was the breaking point. If Snape couldn't have Lily, then he could at least ruin James' son's life, it seemed. "He has to have an ulterior motive," Sirius thought aloud.

Hermione huffed. "No, he does _not_! Honestly, Sirius. Let go of the past."

"Like you can't forget how he made your and Ron's and Harry's lives hell in school? What, you just suddenly woke up one morning and decided that he's not such a bad guy after all? Because guess what? That doesn't happen. Certainly not with him!" He smacked the countertop again, but this wasn't in a cheery way. This time Sirius was angry.

"No, of course not," she replied, calming down. "But it's not like I _always_ thought of him as a horrible person. Sure, I was scared when he purportedly killed Dumbledore, but everyone in the Order knows that story and Snape was a good guy in the end, convincing us all that he was probably our greatest asset in the war."

"And now he's your greatest _ass_et?"

"Urgh, don't start." The brunette flared her nostrils. "Or would you like me to start in on your whirlwind romance with a girl I still consider my little sister?"

Sirius grumbled, but didn't answer. He put his palms together and leaned his forehead against his hands, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath. "Please… _Please_ tell me that you've actually thought things through, Hermione. You're a smart girl—we all know it—but this choice of yours…"

She rubbed the rim of her mug with her finger and glanced at him. "I…haven't told anyone about all that happened," she stated. "For your information, things were kinda accidental and not."

He watched her as she stared behind the counter at nothing particular. "What…?"

Hermione sighed. "It wasn't 'toying,' per say…but there was always some kind of tension between us. It really felt strong in sixth and seventh year. I mean, in sixth year at Slughorn's Christmas party, he stepped between that vampire and me. The thing had started to entrance me…but Sev got him to back off and then Sev was hesitant to leave my side that night. And seventh year…"

"'Seventh year'…?"

She smiled, remembering something she didn't want to share entirely aloud. "Well, let's just say that he almost confirmed _then_ that there was something between us."

"What about Ron? You were with Ron right until…until I came back," Sirius mumbled. He felt her tense and he did, too. For her, losing Ron would always be a sore spot. For him, it would always be a "what if." For him, without Ron's sacrifice, he never would have had the chance he had with Ginny. He wouldn't have a second chance at life.

"I always knew…" Hermione paused to wet her lips. It was hard, what she had to say next. "I always knew that Ron…wouldn't quite keep me on my toes as I would've liked. That was partly remedied by being with Harry."

"Then why? _Why_ Snape? If you felt that way with—"

"That's not the point!" she snapped. "Why are you with Ginny and not another witch? It's because you click! You don't feel like she has to keep up with you—she just does! You don't feel like you're taking care of a child! You don't—" Hermione took a deep breath. "You don't feel like you're the last thought in her mind."

"But…" Sirius' words died on his lips. Even he knew Harry to be a focused young man…and it didn't come as an entire surprise that Hermione said that. Harry often had the whole of his loved ones on his mind—but he hadn't developed a filter to dedicate even an ounce more to one person over another. Sirius saw it as a consequence of having lost too much in his lifetime. And while he could sympathize, Sirius, too, understood Hermione's feelings. The war was over and had been for several years. If Harry couldn't get over protecting the whole nest, then he probably would never see the enjoyment of coddling the one chick…so to speak.

"Before the school year began," Hermione continued, as if there hadn't been any interruption, "I chanced upon Severus. Thanks to a wild goose chase involving Crookshanks, I discovered that Harry and I don't live far from Spinner's End. And…I discovered that Severus is about happy as company at home as he is at school."

Sirius quirked an eyebrow, but didn't interject several jabs at Snape's risk.

"After a few interludes at his home—please, don't ask—I sort of became his acquaintance, like a friend… But there was still the tension there, you know? So we would meet on weekends and such… Merlin, there were so many factors, including other faces besides Harry's… Harry didn't know until recently, actually, though I think he might've had his suspicions. But I was so on edge back at the Christmas party."

"You two were like oil and gillywater—completely repellant."

"Well, that's just the thing. The party was awkward enough. If you remember, Harry had already popped the question a while before that. But the holidays weren't good to us. Harry was definitely suspicious then and we had a bad, _bad_ argument…and I ran to Spinner's End." She stopped, pursing her lips. "I'm not proud of myself for it. I still loved Harry then and I was truly confused."

Sirius was confused, too. "I know I didn't stay at the school for the break, but…"

"No, he came home," Hermione answered in anticipation of his question. "He came home for a different reason, unrelated to me. But he didn't like that Harry had treated me rashly." She chuckled. "I scraped my knuckle when throwing the ring at Harry, you see, and Sev thought Harry had done that. But… But we talked and things turned back to Sev and me and then _he_ and I argued and…" She blushed furiously, but didn't elaborate, which Sirius appreciated. "I knew then that I really loved Sev."

The Animagus shook his head. "Sorry for still not seeing how anyone can love that bastard."

"Sirius, you don't know what he's been through, what he's felt. Sev is—"

"—a no-good wizard, Hermione."

"And after all I've told you, you still say that to me?"

"Yes!"

"That's—"

"Hermione, look where you are now. Your life's in ruins. You're cancelling your _wedding_."

She shut her mouth, knowing he was right. She puffed out her cheeks. "It's not like I…"

"Wait—Harry was your _back-up_ plan?"

"It sounds cruel when you put it that way…" She tugged on a stray curl of hair. "I mean, I suppose _yes_, but I honestly loved both Harry and Sev for most of these past months. My—My love for Harry's just been waning. Though it doesn't help how awkward it's been between Sev and me. He's been grumpier than usual."

"Care to ponder that maybe he's not your best choice?" Sirius growled. He took a long gulp of his firewhiskey.

Hermione scowled at him. "Don't talk about things you know nothing of, Sirius. Sev…still has some moving on to do." Her anger faded and she frowned. "I just don't know if I can move on. If this really doesn't work out between us…I don't know…"

Several quiet minutes passed between them. Tom was still in the back and there were few other patrons in the Leaky Cauldron. For that, Sirius was grateful. He only wanted to hear such things in a certain amount of privacy. However…

With all Hermione had told him, it was hard to be sympathetic toward her cause. They _were_ still talking about his childhood nemesis, after all. Still…

"You honestly think it's love?"

Hermione frowned. "Yes, I do."

"And you'd leave my _godson_ for _him_?"

"Don't start. But…yes."

Sirius still wouldn't accept it. But he also knew by now (especially from being with Ginny) that most of the people in his life were set in their ways. And the best he could do…was be there for them when the situation called for it.

As he had yet to remark further, Hermione looked at him. "Sirius…?" she asked as he stood and left enough money for both of their drinks.

He heaved a sigh. "All I have to say, Hermione, is that he better be worth it." Though it wasn't a clear-cut approval, Hermione's mood improved exponentially, though she knew when to let Sirius walk away from the touchy subject.

"Thank you, Sirius."

And he knew she meant that.

At home in Grimmauld Place, Sirius looked over the furnishings and such, wondering how he could've ever called the place "home" when there weren't really any in it who'd welcomed him. He had a funny feeling that Hermione hadn't felt "home" with Harry for a long time, either.

But Sirius had briefly felt complete when Ginny had stayed with him here over the Christmas break. And he knew that was a sure sign of what should be.

That, and Ginny had sent him a Howler, screaming bloody murder over Hermione admitting partially to being involved with Snape.

_Oh, love_, Sirius thought, _great minds think alike_.

- ^-^3

**Okay, I have to ask: who's shocked and who's not? If you've read FroPa (From the Past), you knew the gist of what would be said, though this story is waaay further along than that one (FroPa is still stuck on that Christmas break, as of this posting). Anywho, I think I was able to vaguely describe things to keep enough of you satisfied, but everyone curious enough to glimpse at FroPa. So you really should. In the meantime, drop a review here and vote in the Hermione poll on my profile.**

**Thanks and I hope to have 38 up soon! And it really is looking like there will be only 40-ish chappies…but fear not! The ToFu universe lives on and I'll have special things to announce in the last chapter~!**

**So please stick with me! And REVIEW!**

**-mew! X3**

**P.S.—Adrianna and Julie: You guys _should_ feel honored! XD I'm just happy you two love the story so much that you to try review every chapter (I'm now over 60 reviews—hooray!). So, you guys have this chappy, as well. Hope you enjoyed the secret!**


	38. 38th Telling, 11th Sprout

**To the Future**

A HariPo fanfic

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling."

P.S. **REVIEW!** & don't kill me for the pairing. :)

****P.P.S.**** Tellings came first, love blossomed, and then things wilted. But fear not! After all, wilting flowers can be rejuvenated with a little bit of water and care…which brings us to the final arc in the story: **SPROUTS**. Even after wilting, a sprig of hope comes back, giving us a sprout for a new beginning. The end still isn't quite in sight yet, but I still thank all you readers who have read this far, considering this is my longest story yet. So let's read—and REVIEW!

- ^-^3

**The Eleventh Sprout (& the Thirty-Eighth Telling)**

It was probably one of the biggest shocks in Ginny's life. Hermione with Snape… It just didn't seem right. Hermione had always been with Ron. With Harry, she was a little out-of-place, but still acceptable.

But _Snape_? It just didn't make sense!

Ginny only heard bits and pieces from Harry. Even he didn't know the whole story; he just had his guesses to go on. And Hermione was pretty silent about things. She gathered her stuff and moved back home with her parents, not bothering to explain herself to Ginny.

The Weasley daughter understood why. Hermione couldn't even look Ginny in the eye.

Ginny was writing to Sirius often about the "Harry&Hermione" situation, and he was able to fill in some of the holes Harry left. Ginny hurt, knowing that Hermione had at least opened somewhat to Sirius and not her, but at least some things were coming together. Sirius' description of the Christmas party, how Snape acted around Harry when Harry returned with them to the school after the Selwyn stuff, even possibly some of Snape's mood swings… Certain things had explanations now.

"Sucks, doesn't it?" Raven asked her. Ginny had found it difficult to hang around the house with the lonely and grumpy Harry, so she took to visiting Raven more often. Miraphina wasn't with them today, as she was working in her mother's pastry shop.

Ginny brushed back her hair with her hand and grunted. "I dunno… Obviously, yeah, it does." Ginny took a deep breath. "What stings the most is that so many people around me have decided to keep things from me. I know I'm not one to talk…but it still smarts."

Raven watched her and grimly smiled. "So you're human. Guess what? We all are. And it doesn't really get any better."

"I've had a lifetime of learning to understand that."

The blonde laughed. "But it's true. And anyway… Hermione and Snape—while weird, yes—they might be right. From what you've said of her, she sounds like she's the only one who could ever match him."

"Wits for wits. Sadly, yes."

"And you've also said Hermione's pretty wise. Snape's got tricks up those abnormally large sleeves of his—they'll figure things out another time, eh?"

Ginny nodded, knowing what Raven said to be true. She thought it funny, since Raven was as brash as Gryffindors came. But she definitely knew a thing or two.

The former Keeper seemed to read her mind. "Yeah, I'm a little wise myself. Ulric has provided me with some entertaining scenarios…" They both laughed at that.

- ^-^3

It was almost a week after the wedding date and all was still unwell. Ginny hadn't heard from Hermione and living with Harry was beginning to make following Voldemort look like a cheery option.

And seeing as bad blood still existed between her parents and Sirius, Ginny left Harry sulking in the living room, grabbed her broomstick, and headed over to Raven's.

She breezed past an irritable Ulric and headed straight into the kitchen where Valerie was making sandwiches. Ginny smiled. "Hi, Mrs. Crowley."

Valerie beamed. "I had a feeling you'd visit Ginny. Everything all right?"

"Oh, I just can't stand Harry right now."

"Harry—that's your boyfriend, right?"

Ginny blushed. "Er, no, no, that'd be Sirius. Harry's my mate and a family friend. I'm living with him right now."

"Oh, of course." Valerie chuckled at her forgetfulness. "Raven's upstairs."

The redhead stomped up the staircase and knocked on her friend's door. "Raven, how about a game of Quidditch?"

"Ugh, go away…"

"Raven!"

The door swung open and a disheveled Raven glowered at her. "I'm PMSing. Bugger off."

"Lovely to see you, too, darling." Ginny followed her inside and shut the door behind her. "Uhh, are you going to do more than light candles in here?"

"No, and if you don't like it, then leave."

Ginny sighed and sat down on the blonde's bed across from her. "All right, but then I'll take the chocolate I have with me…"

"No, stay!"

The Weasley placed her broom in her sweatshirt's Expanded pocket and withdrew a bar of dark cacao. She broke it into pieces and passed some to Raven. "Do you always get so moody when…?"

"Yeah."

Ginny sighed, not wanting to accidentally start something if she even kidded about Raven right now. Instead, she took out her wand and summoned a light; it was funny, in a way, since Sirius' nonverbal spell practice came very much in handy. The thought made her smile.

Raven turned on another light so Ginny could put her wand away. "I'm not that bad," the blonde stated. "I think it's just a side-effect from having finished school. Y'know, 'what do I do now?' Because I sure as well don't have any idea."

"Quidditch." It was the first thing out of Ginny's mouth, mainly because the sport was the first association she made whenever she thought of Raven. And honestly, with some polishing, Raven would make an excellent addition to any professional team.

Raven laughed. "Does _everyone_ think I'm some great big Quidditch brute?"

"You _are_ big…"

"And I suppose you think Mav should go out for a team, too, then?"

Ginny paused, not realizing it was a rhetorical question. "Actually…"

"Ginny, get a grip!" The blonde witch gave her an incredulous look. "There are certain things that are out of our reach. We're just kids—_barely_ adults," she corrected, "and it'll be a while before any of us get our 'big break.'" She squinted at the redhead. "Last I knew, you were feeling like me."

"Uh, yes…" The Weasley almost opened her mouth when there was a sound at the window. Both witches turned their heads—and the sound came again. Ginny and Raven got up and Raven opened the window in time to catch a pebble.

Grant and Mavrick stared up at them, the Slytherin beaming and the Gryffindor looking a bit annoyed. "Come on down!" Grant called.

Raven glared at him and turned to Mavrick. "I thought you were the gentlemanly type," she chided her love. "As in, you use _doors_."

"Don't look at me! He made me do it, stay down here."

She groaned. "Agh, fine…" She shut the window and led Ginny downstairs into the kitchen. "Mum, is lunch ready?"

In answer, Valerie passed them several sandwiches. She'd surmised they were heading out, as she gave them extras. "Try to be back before too late, Raven."

"Got it, Mum!" she yelled back as she pulled the front door shut behind Ginny. The boys were out front waiting for them.

Ginny looked Grant up and down before hugging him tightly. "Sheesh, it feels like ages since I've seen you."

"It's kinda been that long," he said with a laugh. He ran a hand through his dark hair—which had grown shaggier and a bit longer in just a month. He looked a little worse for the wear, too. Grant guessed the question in the witches' eyes. "Eh, works been a little tiresome…but at least I'm making something of myself."

Raven shared the sandwiches with Mavrick. "I'm in the mood for some ice cream. You guys up for a walk? There's a place in town." The others were up for it, so they made their way down Raven's street.

"So you're fairly loaded," Grant mused, jabbing a finger over his shoulder at the Crowley house.

The blonde snorted. "I have three older brothers. There's a _need_ for that much space."

"Nice looking place, though."

"…Thanks." Raven smirked and it was amusing, since Raven probably had been the one who least liked and trusted Grant.

_But, _the redhead thought, _it shows we're changing. We're… Crap. We're growing up_. It was scary and sudden and full of fact and Ginny knew that all her time spent with her friends wasn't them being teens anymore; they were adults coming back together despite the busyness of life.

"…going to do?" Grant waved a hand in front of Ginny's face. "Hello? Anyone in there? We were hoping you'd be a part of the conversation, Gin."

"Hm? What were you saying?"

"I asked what you're doing post-Hogwarts," Grant repeated. "Raven grumbled you think she should do Quidditch."

"I didn't grumble!" Raven hissed. "I was just _stating_ that she called me 'big'!"

"It would be kind of cool if we could play on the same professional team…," Mavrick pondered aloud. Raven's cheeks flushed and Ginny laughed since Ginny had thought of the same idea for Raven earlier.

"How are you handling Sleekeazy?" Ginny asked the Slytherin.

"Easy-peasy," he replied with a near-scoff. "I don't think they know what to do with me."

"And Mira's working for her mum right now…," Ginny said enviously.

"So back to what I asked—what about you?" Grant raised his eyebrows, knowing Ginny had a bit of news. He stopped her. "You got a job, didn't you?"

"Well…" Heaving a sigh, Ginny caught the boys up on most of the on-goings of her two friends and the trip to St. Mungo's. As she told them of her experience with the woman, Camwyn Berthier, and the floor of Creature-Induced Injuries, Ginny thought more herself on Camwyn's offer. But Healer training would take forever…

"You should do it." Grant was the first one to reply after Ginny ended. The other two were still gaping at how she'd managed to snag such an opportunity.

Even Raven was speechless. "Working there…" She robotically opened up the door to the ice cream shop.

"It's a real deal," Grant stated, prodding Ginny along. "And you could do it."

"But I don't—! I don't…" She sighed. "I don't think anything medical would work out for me. I mean, I don't have any true experience of even much interest in the field."

"Experience is gained first-hand," Mavrick interjected. "And you might end up loving it."

"You were good in all your classes—not like me, but still excellent," the Slytherin mentioned. "This would give you a chance to demonstrate all your skills and specialize at once."

"But—!"

Her friends stopped her and Mavrick and Raven bought the round of ice cream. Grant sat and waited with his best friend. He cupped his cheek and stared at her. "But what? You'd be stupid not to take this chance." He paused. "Have you talked to Black—eh, I mean Sirius—about this?"

"Well, yeah…" Ginny blushed. "He was the first one to congratulate me."

Grant chuckled. "Good. Because he sees your potential, too." Grant winked as she punched him in the arm. He took a small cone of chocolate from Raven when the other two returned. "He's a keeper, Gin."

"Ugh. Get your own teacher." And she stuck her tongue out at her friends.

- ^-^3

**W00t, w00t! I'm proud of myself! This story had over ONE THOUSAND hits just for September! Thanks for all the support, everyone! XDDDDDD And thanks again for even MORE favs, alerts, and…reviews! ;)**

**Which brings me to the chappie dedi today: Julie (love you, hon! XD) and newcomer to the ToFu universe, lilabennet. Haha, I'm glad you feel as frustrated as Ginny with her situation, Julie! And lila…wow. You're review quite literally blew me away. I'm so happy that you feel I truly developed Hermione's character (even if she is different from how most see/would see her) and I'm so happy that I haven't just dropped bombshells on all of you. Though chapter forty belies another truth… ;3**

**Well, review for 39! It's on its way—though school started, so please be a little more patient! But I have that chappie pretty much planned out, sooo…**

***does a giddy happy dance in anticipation***

**Join me in the dance!**

**-mew! XD**


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